


the Winter Creature part two

by BlaiddtheWolf



Series: The Winter Creature [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Animal Death, Cannibalism, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Forced Cannibalism, Gen, Platonic Soulmates, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, buckys not human so..., creature!bucky, creature!fic, little!steve, monster!bucky, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-09-14 09:49:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 42,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9174904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlaiddtheWolf/pseuds/BlaiddtheWolf
Summary: a story told to new recruits, a creature that was once hydras but has now escaped, some say don't exist, but others swear they've seen a monster with sharp claws and sharper teeth out of the corner of their eyes while out on missions as it waits to take its revenge.





	1. move

**Author's Note:**

> continuation! hurrah

The move to New York goes fairly smoothly. Bucky doesn't own anything apart from the gear he had when he came to the SHIELD compound, and Steve just had art supplies. Well, and a fish tank. But everything else they had was from SHIELD really. So yeah, easy move. Except for Bucky, who did not like the pressurized air in the plane. But it was helped by the fact Stark had the entire bunny sanctuary in one room of the plane (one of Starks personal jets) so Bucky just spent his time surrounded by equally uncomfortable rabbits. They reach New York safely and soundly, if a bit jittery. When they've landed Bucky helps Stark and Clint load all the bunnies up into crates so they can be easily transported to their new room in the tower. Cars come to pick them up and they start the drive to the tower. 

Bucky and Steve chatter about nothing during the drive, while Stark and Clint talk about exploding arrows, and boomerang arrows, and many other kinds of arrows for Stark to make and Clint to test. They both seem equally excited at the prospect of testing theses arrows in the shooting range of the tower. Bucky perks up a little at the mention of the shooting range, glad there would be one in New York as well. This gets Bucky talking to stark about the gym and shooting range, which, according to Stark, are both much better at the tower than at the SHIELD compound. 

They drive into the garage of the tower and unload their things, Bucky carrying most of Steves stuff. Steve grabs his fish and snails, who are in a little bag, and Clint carries the empty fishtank. 

“Wheres your stuff?” Steve asks Clint. 

“Its all being brought over by movers, we just figured it'd easiest for us to carry your stuff with us, there’s not very much and then this way we don't have to worry about anything. This way we can just take it right up to your floor.” Clint explains. Steve nods. 

Tony shows them up to Steve and Buckys new rooms, and the first thing Steve does after Tony leaves to go to his workshop is find spot for the fishtank. He sets up up the tank and the filter, then fills it with water and places the fish and snails back into their home. The beta fish swims around, exploring the new setup of the tank before resting on the bottom. 

“Whats the fishes name?” Clint asks, watching the fish. 

“Red Fish” Steve tells him. 

“Really? Red Fish? Thats the best you could do?”

“Growing up, as soon as we gave the fish a proper name it died.” Steve says, also watching Red Fish. 

“Oh, thats awful.” Clint sounds horrified. 

“Well, now that I don't name them they live a lot longer.” Steve shrugs. Bucky, who hadn't really watched the fish for any time before, it being in steves art studio, is staring at it, fascinated. It was really cool, how the fish looks like its flying through the water, and the little snails are cute in a strange way. He continues watching the tank while Steve unpacks his art supplies, arranging them on drafting tables already set up like the ones at the compound. Bucky suspects Stark had a hand in designing the setup of the new room, and made it so the layout would be similar to what Steve had already had set up. 

Pulling himself away from the fish, Bucky picks up the one of the two bags he had and finds the bedroom. He pulls out the one blanket he brought from the compound, a really soft one he liked to have in his blanket camp, and then finds the spare room and pulls all the blankets off the bed as well as the pillows, all of them much better quality than at the compound. He gathers everything up and brings it back to the bedroom and opens the vents, throwing everything up and then hopping up himself. 

Stark wasn't joking, these vents were nice. They were bigger without taking away from the safe, close feeling; and the bottom felt sturdier, less like it was going to collapse at any moment. Bucky begins to set up his camp, laying down a comforter first, then his fuzzy blanket, then the pillows around the sides. He goes back down into the room and opens the second bag, grabs some of his knives then jumps back into his blanket camp. He hides the knives beneath blankets and in pillows, then makes sure no one would be able to tell where his weapons are stashed. not that he needs weapons, but he likes knives, they make him feel safe. Finally satisfied with his set up, Bucky jumps back down and sealed up the vent. 

Bucky walks back to where Steve was setting up his art studio and pokes his head inside the doorway. Steve is sitting at his desks, hunched over organizing his pencils with a concentrated look on his face. His любимец hair is catching the setting sun and seems to glow. Bucky smiles and turns away to go back into the bedroom. It’s been a long day and Bucky is ready for bed, so changes out of his clothes and jumps back up into the vents and stretches out on the blankets, closes his eyes and lets himself drift off to sleep. 

steve

 

Steves new art studio is huge. It’s got great big windows with an amazing view of New York, and his desks are wide and long, perfect for the mess he was sure to soon make. Steve spends a long time organizing his supplies into cabinets and drawers provided by Stark, making everything perfect. Then he just spends some time watching red fish before getting up to go to bed. 

When Steve got access to the internet at the SHIELD compound a few months earlier, he had looked up wendigo and lyudoyed. The wendigo is an american legend, and is said to be a cannibal monster, or an evil spirit native to forests, sometimes taking human form, sometimes that of a monster. Lyudoyeds are man-eating creatures that are native to mountains, taking the form of humans with monstrous traits in russian lore. Both, apparently the same thing, and both, apparently, real. The legends of the creatures describe them as horrible, viscous, greedy and monstrous, but Steve has one sleeping in the vents. He's not stupid, he knows the creature in the vents is dangerous, knows he can kill everyone in this tower if he really wanted to, but also knows that Bucky is sleeping in the vent because he's scared of hurting Steve. 

So he's not scared of his own lyudoyed. Instead, he wishes he would come down out of the vents. But Steve knows that that isn't going to happen, at least, not anytime soon. Bucky is stubborn, and wants to keep Steve safe before his own comfort. Steve hopes Bucky will get a mission soon; eating always puts him in a better mood. And doesn't Steve feel awful for wanting that, for wanting a human being to be eaten, but he's made his peace with buckys nature, and all that it entails. 

Steve sighs. It’s time for him to go to sleep, he thinks too much when he's tired. So he flips over and snuggles into his mattress, missing Buckys warmth.

Bucky

 

The vents in Stark tower are kept at a comfortable temperature, the blanket below him is soft and soothing, and Bucky can hear Steve breathing softly below him, keeping him sleepy and unwilling to get up. But Steve wakes up and Bucky knows he should too, so he kicks the blanket off himself and sits up. Bucky jumps out of the vent and lands at the foot of the bed. steve looks up with sleepy eyes and smiles. 

“Good morning Bucky.” Steve mumbles, shuffling his way over to Bucky and wrapping his arms around him. “Did you sleep well?”

Bucky nods his head into Steves hair. “I did, the vents here are very nice.” Steve huffs a laugh. 

“Well thats good. The bed is very comfortable as well.” Steve says. Bucky smiles. He knows what Steve wants, knows Steve wants him to go back to sleeping in the bed, but he can’t. Steves safety is priority; beyond even steves wishes. 

They part and Bucky follows Steve to the kitchen where Steve pours himself cereal and Bucky a glass of milk. Steve sits at the table to eat while Bucky leans against the countertop and sips on his milk. Steve is still eating his breakfast when there is a ringing from the front door. Bucky gets up and opens it a crack. A box is thrust through the gap.

“Just take it, please! And let me leave this time!” Clints voice comes through the door. Bucky grabs a hold of the box then Clints hands disappear and footsteps quickly retreat down the hall toward the elevator. Bucky can’t help but smile a little bit as Clint flees. He holds the box to himself and goes into the kitchen, where Steve is just finishing his cereal. Steve sees what he's holding and nods, then gets up and leaves the room. Bucky waits till Steve has closed the door to his new art studio before ripping open the box. He reaches inside and grabs the first rabbit, snapping its neck quickly before grabbing the second one and doing the same. He holds the dead rabbit in his hands for a moment before ripping into it. He's hungry enough that he doesn't bother chewing, simply swallows chunks whole. Bucky finishes the two rabbits then washes his hands and face, making sure to he's clean of any blood before knocking on Steves door to let him know he was done.


	2. daredevil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> daredevil interrupts a mission

It’s been two weeks in the tower and Bucky is, yet again, bored. His first mission in New York is tomorrow however, and he's been looking forward to it. Bucky was given a file on his targets. It is, yet again, a warehouse and arms transfers; no matter the city Hydra stays the same. There would be over thirty Hydra agents present at the warehouse, so while Bucky knew he could take them out himself, Fury was sending Barton with him anyways. And SHIELD doesn't want Hydra to know that Bucky is in New York, so Bucky has been told to keep the mess to a minimum; but he would still be allowed to feed. A good thing, as Bucky is restless and hungry. But then, Bucky is always hungry. The rabbits he gets keep him comfortable, but really, only human flesh can fully satisfy him. 

Bucky goes to bed with these thoughts on his mind, with hunger tickling his stomach, and is glad once again he is sleeping in the vents rather than with Steve. 

matt

 

Matt runs toward the warehouse as quickly as he can. The screams and shouts started five minutes ago and haven't stopped. From what Matt can tell, one person is ripping through about thirty of the Hydra agents he has been listening in on and tracking for a month. Matt wants the Hydra agents dealt with, but what he hears is more than them being dealt with, its them being slaughtered. He knows his methods are far from kind, he got the name Devil for a reason, but he doesn't kill, and would prefer that others didn't kill while in his territory. 

He reaches the warehouse and creeps up to a door and listens carefully to what is going on inside. On the ground are the arms dealers with another person, who sounds…off. Like he's heavier at one side and has something mechanical on his person. But he also is snarling, in an animal-like way that differs from Matts own occasional growl. He smells weird too, not human. Up in the rafters is another man with a bow, who sends occasional arrows down to assist the first man, but mostly seems content to just watch the massacre. 

The snarling man gets down to the last five opponents, and before Matt can burst through the door and stop him, he throws knives at the front two of them, the blades landing in their necks with a wet thumping noise, then spins away from bullets sent his way and toward the third opponent, quickly snapping his neck and using his body to knock over the last two. He actually picks the dead man up and throws him, showing an amazing amount of strength. The man then jumps over to the last two and slashes at one of theirs neck with what Matt would have thought to be a small knife if there hadn't been the sound of five of them going through the downed mans neck, as well as the attackers hand being wide open instead of closed to hold a knife. Matt slips in through the door as the snarling man tromps over to where the last opponent has crawled and drags him to his feet. 

Matt hears the man in the rafters take a deep intake of breath and hears his eyes shut. Then the snarling man grins, matt hears the wet slide of lips against teeth, teeth that go too far, that are too sharp. Then the man leans forward bites into his opponents, or at this point victims, throat. Matt staggers as the man rips out a chunk from the victims neck and swallows it. He gags when the man takes another bite, and again swallows. Matt has to listen as flesh, human flesh, travels down the mans throat and lands in his stomach. Matt has heard a lot of horrible things, has smelled, has touched a lot of horrible things, but has never, would never have thought he would, come across someone so sick as eat the flesh of another human being. Or perhaps he's not human at all. He must have made an audible noise because the snarling man, the man who eats humans, turns and looks at him. 

bucky

 

There is another. How did he miss someone. The last man is hunched in a corner, gagging. He's dressed differently than the other Hydra agents, he's in black combat boots, cargo pants, and skin tight shirt. he's got gloves and a mask that covers the top half of his face. In a holster on his leg are two billy clubs. He must have snuck in while Bucky was busy. Bucky begins stalking toward the man, growling, but hears Clint from up in the rafters. 

“Bucky, wait!” he pauses but does not take his eyes off the man, who has now straightened up and is facing Bucky. “He's on our side Bucky, don't hurt him.” The man in black is standing still, muscles quivering like he wants to fight. 

“Clint?” the man calls out. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh, work assignment.” Clint tries to answer, jumping down to stand beside Bucky.

“You go from dumpsters to helping cannibals?” The man takes a threatening step forward, that Bucky matches. Clint jumps between the two of them. 

“Bucky is, he's a good guy, I promise.” Clint placates. The mans face turns furious. 

“Good guy? He, he's eating someone!” the man in black protests.

“Not, not at this moment.” Clint tries, weakly. Bucky looks back at the man he had been eating from. Not from the lack of want, Bucky wants very much to continue eating. He just hasn't decided who from yet. The man in black seems like a good enough meal as well if Clint can’t talk him down. Just at the thought, his stomach grumbles. The man in black flinches. Hm, good ears. Clint continues to try and reason with the other man, but Bucky is hungry, so he turns away. Clint can handle the other man if need be. Bucky walks back to the man he had been eating from and kneels down next to him. He holds up his preys arm and slides back the sleeve to give him better access to the flesh. As soon as he takes another bite, he hears a shout from the man in black. 

matt

 

He's eating again. The man, Bucky, Clint had called him, has gone back to his victim and is taking bites out of his arm. Matt cant help the shout that comes from him, but regrets it as soon as the cannibals eyes land on him again. Clint looks back toward the cannibal, Bucky, and holds out a placating hand. Bucky just snarls. 

“How are you just watching this? How can you be okay with this? This is, this is sick.” Matt argues with Clint. Clint cant seem to find an answer. Matt wants to leap forward and drag Bucky off the other man, to stop him from disrespecting his body any further. So he darts past Clint and twists to land a kick at Buckys head, but his foot is caught by what feels like a metal hand. Matt’s slammed down onto the concrete of the warehouse floor. He can’t do anything as the metal hand pins his arms above his head and Buckys shins press into his thighs, stopping any attempts to kick. Another hand, this one clawed, presses down on his throat. Matt bucks and wriggles, trying desperately to break free from Bucky, trying to keep from being eaten himself. The cannibal above him is growling, his hot breath blasting into Matts face, smelling of human blood and… rabbit? The hand around his neck is squeezing, he cant breathe, his head is swimming, theres a faint buzzing in his ears.

Beyond the buzzing he hears Clint. “Bucky stop! don't hurt him!” The pressure around his neck shifts. 

“I'm getting kind of tired of being told not to hurt people who attack me.” The pressure around his neck lets up and he can breathe again. He gasps, pulling in air and feels the blood rush back into his head. He tries to get up but Bucky is still kneeling on his legs and has his metal hand around Matts wrists. 

Matt hears Clint walk over, “Yeah, your life sucks, get off of him.” Clint says. The weight above him disappears. Matt scrambles back and away from the scent of bloody human flesh and hops back up onto his feet. Now its Clint that’s in front of him. “Hey, you okay? You really shouldn't attack him. I know this is messed up, but he's a good person, I swear.”

“Is he though? A person?” Matt demands, because Bucky doesn't smell human. 

Clint inhales sharply, “Well-”

“No.” the cannibal, or not, given he's not human, replies. “No, I'm not human. But you can hardly claim to be entirely normal can you? Not many who are blind see so well.” There’s a small grin on Buckys face, like he's accomplished something. Matt turns his head sharply to Clint. He had trusted Clint to not tell anyone about his disability. 

“Hey, I didn't say anything! He figured that out on his own.” Clint defends. His heartbeat says truth, as it has this whole evening, but Clint is a trained spy, he could probably trick Matt. But Matt doesn't think he is, he believes Clint. Well, believes that he didn't tell Bucky about his being blind. He's not sure he believes the man eating monster is good. The being in question is hovering around the body he had been eating from, clearly wanting to continue but not. 

Matt is too occupied with paying attention to the creature that very well may eat him to notice a Hydra agent stirring until the shot rings out.


	3. olive branch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> matt and bucky get to know each other

bucky

 

Bucky sees the man in black fall and spins to find the shooter. Across the warehouse is a Hydra agent with an arrow sticking out of one shoulder leaned up against the wall, gun wavering in his hand. Bucky darts over and hauls him up, snaking his left arm around the mans neck and marching him back to Clint. Clint is hunched over the man in black, one hand pressed into the wound in the other mans belly the other in his ear calling for help. Bucky keeps pressure on the Hydra agents neck while still letting him breathe. He supposes the man in black will have to come back to the tower with them, and laments slightly that he will not be allowed to eat him. When the SHIELD vans arrive Clint loads up the man in black and turns back to Bucky. 

“We don't need him.” he says, pointing at the shooter. Bucky grins, knowing what Clint is telling him he can do. “Do you want to stay here a while longer to finish up or do you want to come back now?” 

“Stay.” he decides. Bucky dumps the shooter to the ground roughly, then sits down next to him and waits for all but one of the vans to leave. Then he looks down at the shooter and bares his teeth. The shooter tries to scoot back but is stopped by Bucky clamping his clawed hand around the mans leg. The shooter sends a panicked look to Bucky and Bucky just smiles.

There are many things Bucky doesn't like about eating rabbit, one being he feels bad about eating them, meaning he won’t ever eat them alive because it would just be too cruel. Hydra on the other hand, he has no issues with being cruel to, so can enjoy the alive and terrified flesh all he wants. Bucky strips the shooter of his vest and shirt then flips him onto his front, exposing the mans shoulders. Bucky then leans down and sinks his teeth into the shooters back. His teeth penetrate deep into the mans muscles as he screams. Bucky leans back and pulls a chunk of flesh with him. He leaves the man screaming on the ground while he chews the mouthful of meat, not being careful about making a mess. Blood beads out of the wound, running down the mans back and onto the ground. Bucky listens to the steady drip drip of blood beneath the screams. He swallows his first mouthful and moves over to take his second, chewing, swallowing, repeat until he is full. After he's sat a moment he loads himself up into the last van and just breathes deeply as he is driven back toward the tower. 

When they get back Bucky goes straight home to wash and changes into a t-shirt and sweatpants before making his way to medical where he's sure Clint still is with the man in black. He's not sure why he wants to see the man again, but something compels him to introduce himself more properly to the man now that he's in a better mind state. 

Bucky reaches the medical floor and wanders around for a bit before finding them, the man in black laying on a hospital bed talking with a doctor and Clint standing off to the side. Bucky goes to Clint, who nods at him before turning back to the doctor and the man in black. Bucky doesn't listen to what is being said, doesn't really care, just wants to talk with this man. After a few more minutes the doctor bows out, declaring that the man in black should stay a few days to be safe, but was overall very lucky. Bucky is fairly sure the man will be leaving tonight, or at least intends to. Whether or not he’ll be able to is a different story. Once the doctor is gone, the mans attention fully turns to Bucky. 

“Why are you here.” the man asks defensively. 

“I wanted to properly introduce myself. I figure we know each others deepest secrets, we should know each others names as well. I'm Bucky.” He holds out his right hand. The man doesn't reach out for it. “I washed my hands, I promise” 

“Matt” the man finally says, grabbing Buckys hand. They shake, then matt swiftly takes his hand back. Bucky sighs. Another one. Clint truly is an anomaly he supposes, to be civil with Bucky. Friends even. 

“Okay” Bucky says. “I see I'm not welcome. I hope you get home safely.”

matt

 

Matt suddenly feels guilty. Bucky had come trying to extend an olive branch, and he had all but thrown it back in his face. 

“What did you do to him?” he asks before Bucky can leave. Bucky turns back to face him. “The man who shot me,” he clarifies, “what did you do to him.”

“I ate him” Bucky responds bluntly. Matt flinches. 

“Why.”

Bucky narrows his eyes. “Because that is what i eat, and he deserved it.”

“No, he deserved a trial. He deserved jail. Not… execution by cannibal.” Matt argues. It may not be a good idea to argue with this being, but Clint doesn't seem too worried, so he thinks he is safe. 

“Ah, but as you know, I'm not a cannibal. I’d have to be human to be a cannibal. You just don’t want to accept the fact there is another creature in this world, a monster. You have trouble believing.” Bucky replies. 

“Why do you choose to eat what you do?”

“Because that is what I was raised to do, what I was born to do. Why do you choose to have problems with it? It’s not really a choice is it? It’s just how things are.” the creature explains. Matt supposes that is true, its not much of a choice for him to be so detested by the thought of another human being being eaten, its simply how he was raised and what he considers to be wrong. Morals are a hard thing to choose. But this isn't morals, this is the practice of those morals, this is the ultimate test of them. What does he do in the face of a monster who breaks those morals but doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. What can he do? Not much really, theres no changing this being, and he cant kill it simply to stop it. It. When did Matt decide Bucky is an it? Matt doesn't think he has the right to do that, really, Matt doesn't have the right to judge him at all. 

“Are you okay Matt?” Matt hadn't realized he'd zoned out until Bucky says something. Until the monster he is pondering pulls him out of an endless internal debate. Matt sighs. 

“Thank you, Bucky. For answering my questions.” 

Bucky tilts his head. “Thank you for not attacking me again because of my answers.” he responds. Matt huffs. 

“Happen often?” he asks. 

“Not really, but I'm always expecting it.” Bucky says. And thats a little heartbreaking. Bucky is always expecting an attack, always expecting to be punished for who he is. 

“What would you have done, had I attacked you?” Matt wants to know.

“A few hours ago I would have killed you, but now, now I'm not sure. Defended myself, but I don't know to what degree. Hell, a few hours ago I was prepared to eat you. I get, I regress a bit when I'm on a mission. I lose the progress I've made. One of the downsides.”

“Progress?” Matt asks. What progress. 

Bucky takes a deep breath, “A few months ago, I was an attack dog for Hydra. I was sent after a target, but instead of killing him, I… well for lack of a better way of explaining, I claimed him. When I was with Hydra, and before Hydra, when I was home, I was little more than an intelligent animal. Since being with him, with my любимец, I've become more human. Not enough to change who or what I am, but enough that I have things to lose.” Matt nods and decides to not ask further about the ‘claimed’ thing. He has a feeling its a lot more complicated than he wants to get into right now. Or ever. 

“It’s getting late.” Matt remarks. “I’d better get home.”

“Whoa, doc said you have to stay here a few days.” Clint finally pipes up. Oh now he has something to say. 

“I have someone that can check up on me, I’ll be fine.” Matt assures him. 

“You were just shot! You need rest.” Clint protests.

“And I will, I’d just rather do it at home.” Matt reiterates. 

“You wont be able to.” Bucky says. They both look at him. Well, Clint looks at him. Matt turns his head in Buckys direction. 

“Why not?” Matt asks, suddenly feeling defensive again. He would go home if he wanted to, Bucky couldn't stop him. 

Bucky snorts. “Relax, I'm not gonna stop you from going, but you just got shot in the gut and you think you feel okay now, but thats because you're laying still and on pain meds. Try to stand up and you'll fall right back down.” Bucky tries to explain. 

“I'm fine.” Matt protests and tries to sit up. Pain laces through his abdomen where before it had only been a dull ache, and he can suddenly feel the path of the bullet, he knows exactly where it went, and it hurts. Matt collapses back down onto the mattress. Once he's back to a prone position the pain is not as extreme. “Okay, maybe not so fine.” He admits. Bucky smirks. 

“I’ll leave you to rest then.” Bucky says and wanders off. Matt listens to him go until he cannot hear him anymore, then sighs and rests his head back onto the pillow. Clint waves then walks off as well, leaving Matt alone. 

Matts world has been tilted tonight. He no longer can just assume that humans are the only ones here. There are monsters as well. Beasts that feed on human flesh but understand the moral difficulties others have with it. It’s dizzying, and he not sure he wants to contemplate it right now, when he should be sleeping. Suddenly exhausted, Matts eyes drift closed and he slips into a restless sleep.


	4. outing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> steve is bored and bucky doesn't like crowds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> super short, sorry, but i wanted to get something up for you guys.

It’s late when Bucky gets back home, so he goes into the bedroom quietly, careful to not wake Steve. The vent cover is never in place anymore, Bucky got tired or taking it off a replacing it every time he goes up or down, so he doesn't have to worry about making too much noise when getting up to his bed. Steve is asleep, curled up on one side of the mattress; he always leaves one side open in case Bucky wants to sleep in the bed. Bucky smiles at the sight and jumps into the vent. He crawls into his camp, pulls the fuzzy blanket over himself, and closes his eyes. Full and comfortable, and having made a new possible ally, Bucky falls asleep quickly. 

steve

 

Steve wakes up warm. He shifts and feels a presence next to him.

“Bucky? Did you sleep here?” Steve hopes he did, hopes Bucky will finally stop sleeping in the vents. 

But Bucky shakes his head, “No, I came down about half an hour ago. You looked cold, and we haven’t, I don't know, cuddled I suppose, in a while. I need my любимец I guess. I hope thats okay?” he sounds almost scared, like he's worried Steve will be mad at him for laying next to him on the bed. 

“Of course it’s okay, I've missed this.” Steve assures him, then snuggles up closer to Bucky, wrapping himself around him. Bucky gives a deep satisfied sigh and leans into Steves touch, purring. They stay like this for a while, enjoying each others company, but Steve needs to eat so he moves from Buckys side. 

“It’s time to eat.” he tells Bucky and stands up. Bucky stands as well and follows Steve to the kitchen. While Steve begins making himself some toast, Bucky goes to the fridge for milk. 

It became routine, Bucky would wake up before Steve and come down from the vents to lay in the bed next to Steve until he woke up. It wasn't quite the same as Bucky sleeping with Steve, but he considers it progress, and loves waking up next to Bucky. The rest of the day is taken up by art and gym, or wandering around the tower.

After a week they found the new bunny sanctuary and Bucky had fun introducing Steve to all the rabbits there. After that, whenever Steve was particularly upset or stressed, he would disappear with a sketchbook and come back with pages full of sketches of the rabbits. He gave a few of the drawings to Clint and Tony, and Bucky says that whenever he goes to Tony for a tuneup on the arm he would see the drawings carefully framed on the walls of the workshop. 

at one point, remembering how much he had liked it before, Steve draws Buckys arm again. Buckys reaction is much the same, lots of purring and him tucking it to his chest before putting the drawing on the fridge. 

Overall however, things are very boring. It’s a few more days till Steve remembers Tony said he can go outside, then he's suddenly excited. He grew up in New York, well, Brooklyn, so it'll be good to explore again. He confirms with Tony that yes, he is allowed outside as long as he brings someone with him, then practically runs to the gym, where he knows Bucky will be. There are a few other people working out, so he doesn't just yell out Buckys name like he wants to, but instead begins wandering the gym to search for him. He gets a few strange looks; a short, pale, ridiculously skinny guy generally does, but he pays them no mind. He finally finds Bucky in the shooting range, or rather, Bucky finds him by jumping out of one of the artificial trees in front of Steve. 

“Fuck!” Steve yelps, nearly falling over he jumps so much. “Don't do that!” he scolds Bucky. Bucky, the asshole, just grins at him. 

“Did you need me?” he asks with a smirk. Steve glares.

“Yeah.” he sighs, then smiles. “I'm going out today if you wanted to come with me?” But Bucky starts shaking. His eyes are shut and his claws are out, and shaking his head furiously.

“No. No, no no no.” He's repeating the word, muttering it over and over.

“Okay! Okay, you don't have to come!” Steve rushes to assure him. “Why not, what’s wrong?”

“Too many people.” Bucky says. 

“You don't like crowds?” of all the things for Bucky to dislike, crowds wasn't high on the list of what Steve would have guessed. Bucky shakes his head. 

“Too tempting.” Bucky whispers. Oh. Well, there’s that. Why did that never cross Steves mind?

“Okay, well, you don't have to come with me. I’ll ask Clint. Are you okay? I wont go out today, I’ll stay with you if you want.” Steve says.

bucky

 

Bucky is being stupid. He shouldn't freak out over this, but he knows what'll happen if he’s around all those people. Out on the streets, its practically a buffet, not something he wants to tempt. Being around a few people at a time, that’s fine, that’s doable. But hundreds… no.

But Steve shouldn't have to stay because he has no faith in his own self control. “You go out. You need it, I get to go out on missions, you have nothing. I'm sure clint will go with you, and I bet he’ll bring his dog too.”

“Are you sure, cus i have no problem staying.” Steve tries. Bucky smiles. 

“Thank you Steve, but just because i have to stay in doesn't mean you should. Go, have fun.” Bucky insists. Steve looks conflicted. Bucky knows he wants to go out, knows he's bored and restless. “Really, you clearly want to go, just go. It’s not like you're leaving forever, I can manage.” 

Steve smiles widely, then steps forward and hugs Bucky. Bucky hugs him back then playfully shoves him away. “Go on, have fun.” Steve smiles again and runs off to find Clint. Bucky watches him go, glad Steve gets to do something fun, and confident in Clints ability to protect him should he need it. Bucky stands for a moment after Steve is gone the climbs back up the tree to continue shooting. He really loves these trees.


	5. guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky has clint and matt over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me if you want more or less of matt. i really love the character so would keep him, but if you guys don't like him being here ill try to minimize his appearances

Steve comes back while Bucky is taking a shower (another thing he loves, warm showers). He walks through the living room and goes straight to his art studio. Bucky finishes quickly so he can see what Steve is doing. He dresses and knocks on the studio door. 

“Come on in.” Steve calls out, so Bucky opens the door and peeks his head in. 

“You seem excited. Have fun?” Bucky really hopes everything went well for Steve. 

“Yeah! It was great, Clint and I found an art store and since I've been getting commissions done I was able to buy these really nice pens I had been wanting to try out forever, but they're pretty expensive. I'm just really excited about them so I've got to try them out.” Steve shows him a handful of pens proudly. Bucky knows nothing about pens but smiles at Steves excitement about them. 

“I’ll leave you to it then.” Bucky says and slips back out the door. 

Now that Bucky is doing missions, he doesn't eat every day, so the rabbits he eats aren't dropped off anymore; instead, Bucky picks them up from the room they are kept in. Clint and Tony are strictly forbidden from entering, for everyones sake. Bucky is hungry so he starts his way the room. About halfway there, he runs into Clint.

“Ah! there you are.” Clint says, sounding relieved. “Been looking for you. So, Matt showed up I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to see him, he's asked about you.” Bucky looks in the direction of the rabbit room, but nods. 

“Yeah, okay.” So he follows Clint down the hallways and elevators to the lobby of the tower. The closer they get, the more people there are, and the more uncomfortable Bucky gets. every person that passes by simply makes Bucky more hungry. But they reach the lobby without incident, and Clint finds Matt quickly. Bucky has to take a second look, because the vigilante is now in a suit. He has round red tinted glasses and a folded cane he's fiddling with. Seems he's not very comfortable with crowds either. Clint calls out to Matt and Matts head snaps up and tilts in Clint and Buckys direction. He unfolds his cane and taps his way over to them, smoothly avoiding the people milling around him and stops in front of them.

“Can we go somewhere with less people? This is a little overwhelming.” Matt requests. Buckys stomach grumbles as someone else passes close to them, and Matt frowns. Bucky ducks his head.

“Sorry.” he mutters. Matt just nods. “We can go to my place.” Bucky offers. He turns to Clint, “Is it okay if I pick up food on the way? I won’t eat while you or Matt are there.” Matt has a startled and rather concerned look on his face, and he's shifting slightly from foot to foot. “It’s not a person, I promise.” Bucky tells him. Matt relaxes slightly. 

Clint gives a long exaggerated sigh and begins the walk toward the rabbit room. “Yeah, fine. Just don't show them to me.” he consents.

“Thank you. And you know I wouldn't do that right? Not now. When I first arrived at SHIELD… I apologize for that, i really do.” Bucky says, walking a bit behind Clint, Matt tapping his way behind them. 

“That’s okay. Well, not really, but you know what I mean, it’s okay now and you wont do it again so were all good.” Clint shrugs. Bucky nods. 

They go up the elevator, standing in silence, then step off and continue their way to the rabbit room. Once there, Clint and Matt wait outside while Bucky walks in and carefully places two rabbits in a box. Since they might be in there a while he puts in some hay as well to give them something to munch on. When he gets back out into the hallway, Matt nods.

“That explains it.” he says, almost to himself, but piquing Buckys curiosity.

“Explains what?” he asks.

“When we met, your breath smelled like rabbits. Now I know why.” Matt explains. ah, right. Bucky had snarled in Matts face. Though, from what Bucky can tell, he could probably smell it from across the room his senses seem so sharp. 

“This makes up most of what I eat, much to Tony and Clints dismay. You should have Clint show you the bunny sanctuary sometime, its very soothing.” Bucky thinks Matt would like it, hay smells nice and rabbits are really soft, and he seems like the kind of person that needs soft things. They continue their walk to Buckys apartment, Clint telling Matt all about the bunny sanctuary. They reach Bucky and Steves living room while Clint is explaining how Tony designed the sanctuary. 

“Sit anywhere you like, I'm going to tell Steve you're here.” Bucky says. Clint plops down on the couch and Matt carefully sits himself on the chair next to it. Bucky knocks on the door to Steves art studio then opens it a crack, “Steve.” Steve lifts his head and looks over at Bucky. “Clint and one of his friends are here if you want to come out.”

“Yeah! I can’t stay long, I've got a commission I really need to finish, but sure, I’ll be right there.” Steve says.

matt

 

Matt listens as Bucky tells another man of his and Clints presence. The man that steps out with Bucky is small, a fair bit shorter than matt himself and really skinny. This must be the man Bucky had been talking about, the man for which Bucky had improved by being with.

“Steve, this is Matt, matt this is Steve.” Bucky introduces. Matt smiles and sticks out his hand in a slightly off direction. The other man doesn't hesitate to shake his hand, even though he has to reach out slightly for it. Matt hopes Bucky picks up on that he wants Steve to not know his nighttime activities. He knows Clint won’t tell; as much as that man talks, he's good at keeping quiet. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Steve says, sounding like he's smiling sincerely.

“You as well.” He returns the smile. 

Steve turns to Clint, “How are you, and how’s Snowball?” Clint snaps his head up from where he's been drawing invisible circles on the couch. 

“I’m great! Nat is coming next week, so I'm looking forward to that. Oh! I was supposed to tell you, Nat is transferring here next week, so yay! And Snowball is doing good, she loves Lucky, and Lucky loves her, which makes me so relieved, I was worried they wouldn't get along.” Clint says excitedly. 

“Who's Snowball? Did you get another dog?” Matt knows about Lucky, Clint had told him about the dog in a few of their meet ups, but Snowball he hasn't heard of. 

Bucky snickers, “Snowball is the rabbit Clint stole from me my second day with SHIELD. Not a smart move on his part, but I had already promised not to eat him, so he was in luck.”

“That’s why you didn't chase me? I had thought for sure I was dead.” Clint sounds surprised and relieved while Steve laughs quietly in the corner. Matt wonders what kind of friendship Bucky and Clint have. They clearly like each other, in a friendship way, but apparently the only reason Clint is alive is because of a promise, and maybe thats not the most healthy basis for a friendship. For that matter, what kind of relationship does Bucky and Steve have. Bucky had told Matt he had claimed Steve, which is a bit alarming, but he'd also said that Steve had been the one to make him less, well, monstrous. But that was personal, that was none of Matts business, no matter how curious he may be about it. So instead Matt asks about Snowball. That leads to more enthusiastic talk about the bunny sanctuary, during which Steve bows out, saying he has work to finish. The smell of paint tells Matt Steve is an artist, something Matt is sad he can’t enjoy. That leads to a discussion of the art Steve had done for Clint and Bucky, Clint describing the drawings in great detail so Matt could get a better picture of them. This leads to Matts confession that he doesn't really remember what a rabbit looks like, which Clint seems personally offended about. 

“That must be fixed! To the bunny sanctuary!” he cries. Bucky decides to stay so he can eat and waves them off. To the bunny sanctuary he supposes.

They get down the hallway toward the elevator a fair but when Matt hears two sharp squeaks from Buckys kitchen. His steps stutter for but a moment, but Clint notices. Then the sound of ripping flesh and swallowing starts and Matt stops altogether. 

“Bucky start eating?” Clint guesses. Matt nods. “Yeah, its not pretty. His second day at the SHIELD compound, somehow I was put in charge of bringing him rabbits. I wasn't told what they were for, but I had an inkling. I was right, he snatched the box from me and ate the first rabbit right in front of me. The second rabbit I grabbed and ran with, thats Snowball. This was all when he was still pretty feral, he's gotten a lot better, much more considerate. That he didn't start eating immediately after we left tells me he was probably trying to wait till you couldn't hear. Didn't work, your hearing is amazing, but he would have just eaten in front of us at first.” Matt fiddles with his cane, considering what Clint has said. Clint must sense him thinking too hard, “Come on, the fuzzy rabbits are desperate to be pet.” Matt takes a deep breath and follows Clint to the bunny sanctuary. 

bucky

 

Bucky waits until Matt and Clint are hopefully out of Matts hearing range, then eats. He finishes quickly, having been hungry all day doesn't help his self control. He cleans up after himself then makes his way to Starks workshop, it being time for his routine arm checkup. Bucky is convinced that Stark just uses ‘checkup’ as an excuse to mess with the arm, but he’s always careful and asks before he does anything so Bucky doesn't really mind. Stark also developed a drug that allows Bucky to stay conscious but numbs his arm, and Bucky has not seen any sign of the chair that is not the Chair, making these visits far more pleasant than the first one. Which Bucky still feels bad about, but Stark has assured him its nothing, all water under the bridge, etc.

———————-

A few days later, at Steves request, Clint brings Lucky to their apartment to finally meet Bucky. Bucky at the time is standing at the dining room table cleaning his weapons. 

What bounds in through the door is a yellow dog that comes up to a little below Buckys knees, covered in scar tissue and possessing only one eye. But that didn't seem to bother the dog, as he just walks right in and sticks his nose between Buckys legs. “Oh! Okay, hi dog.” He tries to nudge the dogs nose away from him. 

“Lucky!” Clint yelps, and lunges to grab the dogs collar. “That is not polite!” So Lucky looks at Clint, then at Bucky, then grabs the Skorpion Bucky’s working on and runs across the room and dips into a play bow, gun hanging out the side of his mouth. “Lucky!” Clint practically yells, and jumps to try and grab the gun from him. Bucky, (as he knows the gun isn't loaded so presents no threat) laughs as Lucky jumps out of the way moments before Clint can grab the gun. This game goes on for about a minute, the whole time Clint yelling, “Lucky, drop it!” before Bucky reaches out and grabs the dogs collar, allowing Clint to pry his jaws open and retrieve the gun. 

Clint looks apologetic as he places the drooled upon Skorpion back on the table, but Bucky has to work to restrain more laughter. “Sorry.” Clint mutters.

Bucky smiles, “The dogs I've met would have never ever done that. This helped actually.” He kneels down and scratches behind Luckys ears, “Good boy.” He murmurs to the dog. Lucky licks him in the face in reply. Bucky smiles. He likes this, is this what dogs are supposed to be like?

“What would the dogs you've met done?” Clint asks.

“Some of them would have killed everyone but their masters, some would have cowered in the corner because they know all they're used for is bait and practice.” Bucky doesn't feel as happy anymore, but Lucky licks him in the face again until he smiles. Neither Clint nor Steve are smiling anymore either, so Lucky goes to them and licks their faces until they are grinning again as well. Yes, this is a good dog. It makes him feel guilty about the dogs he has killed, the ones he's eaten. He sits on the floor and lets Lucky come to him, then cards his fingers through the dogs fur. He mutters quiet apologies to the dog about what he's done. Lucky just pants happily. 

clint

 

Bucky is sitting on the floor of the dining room, running his fingers through Luckys fur, whispering things Clint cant quite make out, except the occasional ‘sorry’. Buckys face is sad, so he must really feel bad about whatever he's telling Clints dog. Clint’s not sure he wants to ponder what Bucky feels he has to apologize to a dog for. He remembers Bucky talking about the dogs, about the ones who would be used as bait and practice. Would hydra have Bucky practice on dogs? Would Bucky eat dogs? Would he have been forced to or would it have been a choice? 

Clint shakes his head, nothing good could come from these thoughts. He looks back at Lucky and Bucky. Bucky’s now stroking Luckys head, the dogs tongue hanging out. Clint is glad Bucky is benefiting from Lucky being here. Clint looks over at Steve, who is at the table with a sketchbook and pencil, looking from his paper to Bucky and Lucky and back again. He must be drawing them. Clint sees he's not going to be getting much conversation from them so sits himself on a chair and messes with one of his knives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the gun thing happened, not with a real gun, the foam one i made for my winter soldier costume. my puppy grabbed it and ran around the house playing keep away


	6. attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hide and seek and an outing goes bad

bucky

 

Bucky is bored again. It’s not that hard for him to become bored, all his life he's been constantly doing something, whether it be looking for food or missions for Hydra. But here, he's stagnant a lot of the time. He cant go outside with Steve, missions aren't nearly often enough, and the gym is boring after a while. He still goes every day, it’s something to do and he needs to keep his skills sharp, but he needs something else.

So he and clint develop a game. Well, modify a game. It’s hide and seek to the extreme. Rules are: nowhere but private living quarters are off limits as long as it is within the tower. They can use the vents, they can hide in elevator shafts and between walls, whatever. They can’t move once they've chosen their hiding spot. Metal detectors are not allowed. No tricks such as saying there is a mission when there isn’t. No major destruction of the tower. 

Not only is it a game of hide and seek, Tony approves because it tests the towers security, meaning the game is harder each time they play as tony fixes gaps they find. The game tests Buckys senses and knowledge, making him think in more creative ways, as Clint is very unique in his hiding places. On the flip side, Bucky has to think creatively to find his own hiding spots. They don't play every day, or even every week, but Bucky always looks forward to the game. After a while Natasha joins in on the game. 

During one game, where only Bucky and Natasha are playing, as Steve and Clint are out, Buckys phone (Tony had given him one as soon as he entered the tower) buzzes in his pocket. It takes him a moment to fetch it, as he's wedged in a wall next to an office. It’s a text from clint. 

CB- under attack in hells kitchen. protecting steve. hiding in a dumpster. don't text back. help.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Bucky tears through the wall into the office, scaring the poor office worker half to death. Or maybe all the way, he doesn't care right now. Right now what he wants to do is run to Hells Kitchen himself and tear apart anyone that dare attack what is his, but he doesn't know where in Hells Kitchen they are and he needs help. He texts Natasha to meet him at the garage and runs there himself. He's dressed in just cargo pants and a t-shirt, he has no weapons save the five knives alway on him, and his любимец is in danger. Steve is in danger and Bucky has to protect him. He reaches the garage about the same time as Natasha. Too agitated to talk, he shows her the text. Her face darkens. 

“Come on.” She leads him to a SHIELD car and gets in the drivers seat. He climbs in the passenger seat and does his best to not claw at the seat cushion. He fails. “We’re going to Matt first. We don't know where in Hells Kitchen they are and Matt knows that area better than anyone.” she says. Bucky just nods. Help, they need help. They make the car ride in silence, and after a short time they pull in front of a apartment building. Natasha leads Bucky into the building and up the stairs to the top floor and knocks on a door furiously. Shortly, but too long, matt opens the door. 

His face is grim. “Bucky, what’s wrong, and who are you?”

“My name is Natasha and you need to suit up. Steve and Clint are in danger somewhere in Hells Kitchen and we need your help to find them, and then kick ass.” Matt nods and ushers them inside, already taking off his shirt. He goes straight to a cabinet and pulls out a trunk, pulling out his black outfit. he dresses quickly then leads them up and out of a door leading to the roof. Then Matt stands at the edge of the rooftop and stills, tilting his head this way and that. after a few minutes, he turns back to them. 

“Got them, keep up.” then takes a few steps back to fling himself to the next building over. Bucky and Natasha follow without hesitation. Matt leads them across roof tops and through alley ways, keeping out of sight. Soon enough Bucky hears the sound of fighting and speeds up, now racing ahead of Matt and straight in to the middle of a fight.

Clint is in an alley, in front of a dumpster, where Bucky assumes his любимец is, fighting two men. A pile of either dead or unconscious others are strewn about, another van pulling up, probably full of more people. Clint is bleeding heavily in multiple places. Bucky jumps forward and body slams a man pulling a gun on clint, sending him flying across the alley and slamming into the wall. He slumps to the ground, unconscious. Bucky whirls around and slashes the arm of the other man and, the tendons cut, he drops his gun and screams. Bucky then rips his claws through the mans throat and he falls to his knees, gurgling blood. The van has pulled up and the back door swings open, six more men with guns rush out toward Bucky and Clint. A stick flies through the air and slams into one mans skull, felling him. Natasha and Matt have arrived. They throw themselves off the roof and onto the men. One of the remaining men rushes Bucky. Bucky side steps and uses the mans momentum to throw him against the side of the alley where he slams his head against the wall. Behind him Matt, Natasha and Clint are fighting and the last person is moving toward the dumpster. Red flashes across Buckys vision. Steve is his! He steps up behind the man, who is too focused to notice him, grabs his shoulders and sinks his teeth into the mans neck. Bucky jerks his head, ripping out a chunk flesh. Blood spurts from the wound in steady pulses and the man flops to the ground. Bucky looks around, ready for more, but Matt, Natasha and Clint have taken care of the rest. Natasha has the last of them pinned and is interrogating him. Clint is going to the dumpster. Bucky shoves himself in front of him and looks inside. Steve, his Steve, is sitting in the corner with his knees tucked to his chest, his expression furious. 

“Steve.” Bucky purrs. Steve startles and looks up, his face changing from angry to relieved. 

“Bucky!” Steve jumps up and into Buckys arms. Bucky embraces Steve and pulls them away from the dumpster, rubbing his nose into steves neck, smearing the blood on his mouth everywhere. He inhales deeply, breathing in his любимец scent. Steve begins to slowly rub his hand up and down buckys back. Buckys eyes drift closed as he surrounds himself in the warmth and sense of safety. Steve is safe now, and Bucky will makes sure he remains safe.

Bucky hears a low groan come from one of the fallen men, and growls into Steves neck. Steves hand stills. “Do you want to… are you hungry?” Steve stutters out. He's not really really hungry, not in the sense that he has no control, but he is a lyudoyed, always hungry for human flesh, so he nods. Steve nods back. “Okay, well, off you go.” Bucky nods again. His любимец is amazing. Bucky shifts away from Steve and turns toward the man who is now trying to get up. He walks over and presses his knees to the mans back, pinning him in place. The man whimpers and Bucky smiles. Bucky hears Clint tell Matt he can leave now, things aren't going to be pretty, but Matt just shakes his head. 

“I'm blind, doesn't matter how pretty it is.” He responds. Clint just snorts. That’s fine, it doesn't bother Bucky who is present, as long as they do not get in the way. And Bucky agrees with clint, this will not be pretty. Bucky is angry. He is furious that people would dare threaten what is his, would dare to try and hurt Steve. When he's in a clearer state of mind he will remember to thank Clint for keeping Steve safe, but right now his only two thoughts are ‘keep steve safe’ and ‘make them pay’. He's done the first, now he can finish with the second. Bucky takes his knees off the mans back then flips him over and straddles him, keeping him in place with his weight and holding his arms still with his hands. The man is crying out, begging for his life, tears are pouring down his cheeks. Bucky wants to have fun. 

“Hush.” he says sweetly. “There is no need for any of that. You're okay, I'm not going to hurt you.” The man just cries harder and screams. “Now, thats not going to help you at all приятная вещь. You just calm down.” The man stops screaming, but he's crying hard and his eyes are screwed shut. So Bucky sings.

“Тили-тили-бом  
Закрой глаза скорее,  
Кто-то ходит за окном,  
И стучится в двери.”

His voice his low and tone smooth, and the song has a slightly eerie quality to it. The man below Bucky slows his struggling to listen to the song. 

“Тили-тили-бом.  
Кричит ночная птица.  
Он уже пробрался в дом.  
К тем, кому не спится.”

 

The man is now wrapped in the music, his only movement his panting breaths and a slight shiver now and then. Bucky slowly shifts so he is no longer putting his weight on the man and lowers himself to the ground next to him.

“Он идет...  
Он уже  
близко…”

 

His preys eyes slip shut.

“Тили-тили-бом.  
Ты слышишь, кто-то рядом?  
Притаился за углом,  
И пронзает взглядом.  
  

The man drifts into sleep.

Тили-тили-бом.  
Все скроет ночь немая.  
За тобой крадется он,  
И вот-вот поймает.”

 

Bucky pulls the sleeping man into his lap and strokes his hair. 

“Он идет...  
Он уже  
близко…”

 

Bucky finishes softly and continues to run his fingers through the mans hair. He looks up. Steve is sitting against the dumpster also asleep, and Clint and Natasha are staring at him and matts body language is fully focused on him. Bucky grins at them and leans down and sticks his nose into the sleeping mans shoulder, inhaling deeply. He savors the scent for a moment then covers the mans mouth with his metal hand and biting down into his shoulder. The man awakens swiftly with an attempted scream that’s muffled by Buckys hand. Pulling his head back up with a mouthful of meat, he looks again at his companions. Matt is pacing the end of the alley with his head tilted, as if trying to listen to something else. Clint is sitting on the ground looking up, and Natasha is staring straight at him. He swallows and gives her a little half grin. She knows the song he sang, could understand it. Natasha walks around Bucky and his food to sit beside a still sleeping Steve. Bucky goes back to eating, sinking his teeth deep into the mans muscle, letting the blood well up into his mouth and trickle down his chin. Bucky decides this is not enough, this will end his preys life to quickly, and he doesn't want that. No, he wants this man to suffer, to pay for attacking Steve. Without taking his hand off the mans mouth, Bucky maneuvers him so the man is laying supine on the ground. 

“Now, приятная вещь, I need you to be quiet, or we cant get anything done. You think you can manage that?” Bucky coos. The man keeps screaming. Bucky sighs, “I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice, we can’t make all this noise.” Bucky sits on the mans chest and places his knees firmly on each side of the mans head. He holds the mans hands above his head with the metal arm. There’s not much Bucky can do about the mans kicking legs, but if he messes up, then its the mans own fault. 

Before he can lift his hand off the mans mouth, Matt asks “What are you doing?” 

Bucky sighs. “I'm removing his vocal cords, it will make this whole process much easier, and quieter. Screams, as lovely as they are at first, get repetitive and annoying.” Bucky can feel the disgust radiating from matt. “You were given the opportunity to leave, now you have to deal with what happens. These men came with the intent to harm what is mine, and now at least one will pay for it.” Matts weight shifts forward, like he wants to move toward Bucky and his plaything, but knows better than to do so. Good. Bucky turns his attention back to the man. 

As he had with the hydra agent, Bucky cuts a hole in the mans neck and scrapes out the vocal folds and the mans screams turn into hoarse exhales and gurgles. Bucky grins, now he can use both hands, not having to use one to cover the mans mouth. He pulls out a small knife he has hidden, his claws aren't quite sharp enough for what he has planned. 

matt

 

Matt doesn't know why he's still here. His usefulness has run its course, he's found Clint and Steve, he helped neutralize the threat, his services are no longer needed. But still he stays. He stays so now he has to listen to Bucky. The song he had sung had been haunting, sending shivers down matts spine. And now, now Bucky is torturing the man, for no reason other than revenge. Peeling the mans skin off, carving patterns into the exposed flesh. Matt knows what he himself does is considered excessive, but torture… he doest think what he does can be categorized as that. excessive force, sure, but not torture. 

Why is he still here? He can just go home and pretend that he can’t hear the mans forceful exhales in place of screams, pretend he doesn't know that as soon as Bucky gets bored he’ll eat the man below him. But it almost seems wrong to leave. Matt feels he should know whats going on in Hells Kitchen, that he can’t pretend horrible things aren't happening. And why isn't Matt stopping Bucky? He's distracted, focused on torturing the man, not paying attention to the people around him. Matt just shifts his weight forward, and Buckys head snaps up. Matt hears Bucky turn around slowly, can feel as the creatures gaze falls to him. 

bucky

 

How dare he. Matt shifts his weight forward and Bucky can sense him intentions. Matt dared to stop him, or rather, attempt to. Bucky stares at him, and growls, long and low. Matt stills. “Take a single step forward and you will have your own skin flayed.” Bucky snarls. Matt growls in frustration, but takes a step back. “Good choice.” Bucky turns back to his prey, but shifts so he can keep an eye on Matt just in case. His plaything is just whimpering now, arms devoid of skin. Bucky considers moving on to his chest, but thinks matt may actually try something is he continues, so he presses his metal hand around the mans throat. His mouth gapes open, trying to suck in air, but soon enough he stills. Bucky continues applying pressure until he feels his pulse cease, then lets go. 

Bucky turns and looks at Steve; still asleep next to Natasha. Good. If Bucky can help it, Steve will never again witness Bucky eat a person. 

clint

 

Clint is worried. Worried that Matt will do something stupid and get himself hurt, and worried that Bucky will follow through on his promise to Matt. He is worried that Steve will wake up and worried that Steve may not wake up. Seriously, what was that song? Clint knows it was in Russian, but that’s it. Was sending the attacker to sleep a lyudoyed thing? Was it magic? Should clint be worried Bucky might get pissed at him and make him fall asleep? Clint just better be sure to not piss him off then. It was scary, that Bucky could do that; that with a song he could put an enemy to sleep. 

Bucky of course pays no heed to Clints internal thoughts and begins to eat. He had eaten the scraps of skin as he had peeled them off his victims arms, and now starts at the flesh. He takes large bites, eating them whole instead of chewing. He's swallowing heavily and the stench of blood hangs in the air. After a few mouthfuls, Bucky starts purring.

Matt is now leaning against the side of the alley with his head in his hands, breathing shallowly. God,the smell the blood and flesh is probably overpowering, and he can hear exactly what Bucky is doing. It must be hell. 

Bucky must hear something Clint does not because his head snaps up and he looks toward Steve. He quickly wipes as much of the blood off his face and hands that he can then shoves the body away from himself. Then he walks over and sits next to Steve and leans into him. Steve stirs (thank god, he can wake up) and snuggles up to Bucky. Bucky pets the smaller mans hair, and despite his efforts to clean his hands, draws red streaks through Steves hair. Goes with the blood already all over steves neck and shoulder he supposes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look up tili tili bom on you tube, thats the song. приятная вещь means sweet thing


	7. a talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky and clint have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its been a while. I've been super motivated so have a ton written, its just going back and editing that takes forever

Clint can’t stop thinking about Buckys song. Not the song itself, though that was creepy, but what the song could do. Clint had thought the only real difference between Bucky and humans had been physical, but if Bucky had the ability to send someone to sleep, that could mean he could do more. So he researched. He typed up lyudoyed (it took him a few tries to get the spelling right) and searched through the results. There weren't many, but he found a site about Russian legends and the lyudoyed was one entry. It described them as humanoid monsters with a taste for human flesh, strong and fast and clever, using human speech to lure travelers from their paths and songs to enchant them. Written at the bottom was a link to the wendigo. He clicked on it and it brought him to a site about American legends and monsters. The wendigo was described much the same as the lyudoyed. Humanoid creatures or evil spirits that eat humans and can imitate human voices to trap their prey. He continues his search, clicking on more links bringing him to different stories of creatures that look human but aren’t, that devour stray children and lost travelers. Stray children… god had Bucky ever eaten children? No, don't follow that train of thought. These were cautionary tales, told to small children as a way to get them to behave, who knows if they are based on fact. Though the accuracy of the descriptions make Clint think they might be. 

Theres a knock on the door and Clint jumps. Buckys voice from the door, of course, “Clint, can we talk?” Yeah, Clint feels like there needs to be a talk. 

“Yeah, hold on.” Clint calls out. He shuts off his computer and opens the door. Bucky stands in the entry way, eyes cast downward. “Hey, so, come on in.” Lucky runs over and again sticks his nose into Buckys crotch. Bucky gives a sort of tired grin and scratches behind Luckys ear. Clint leads them to the living room and sits on the couch, Bucky sits on the floor across from him. Right, his thing with chairs. 

“So,” Bucky starts, “I imagine you have a few questions, and you're nervous, hopefully not scared? I've worked hard to have you not be scared of me, I hope I didn't ruin that.”

“Not scared, but, apprehensive is maybe a good word. I've gotta admit, the song thing was… creepy. And I was doing research, sorry, but I needed to, and anyway, the songs are a sort of enchantment? Can you do magic, is that what that is?” Clint doesn't like the thought of magic, it makes him nervous.

“No, its not magic. It’s, it’s like a really good public speaker. If someone with the right talent says something a certain way to a crowd, they'll believe them. It’s not magic, but the way it is said and the body language and so many other minute details that really make speech so powerful. Or when you get goosebumps because of what someone says, its a physical reaction you cant control that is triggered by just what someone else says. Lyudoyeds can do the same thing, as least some of us. Like speaking, its a skill you have to develop.”

“Okay, but, he didn't get goosebumps, he fell asleep. A screaming, terrified, injured man in the hands of the enemy fell asleep.” Clint argues.

“Yes, he did, because I sang him a lullaby. Because I meant for him to go to sleep. Theres people who can hypnotize a person into going to sleep, why is this so different? My species, instead of using it for humor or meditation, we use that talent to get food. We’re better at it than humans, but humans are better at other things. There will be things that we can do that you can’t, and vise versa.” Bucky explains. 

Clint nods. “Okay, okay. Wendigo, it said wendigos can imitate human voices.”

“We can, yes, but I don't like to.” But its not Buckys voice that says this, its Steves. The words are coming from Bucky but the voice isn't his.

“Okay, I will perfectly fine if you never ever do that again.” Clint says. Bucky half grins.

“Me too.” Bucky agrees, voice back to normal.

“Is this someone else voice, the on you use? Did you have to learn it or did you have your own voice?” Clint wonders.

“It’s not mine. My voice would be… difficult to understand. No,this is from a man that was at bottom of a ravine, fell from a train. It’s a miracle he was alive. Not for long, but long enough for me to pick up his voice.”

“Okay, um, one more question, one I'm probably going to really regret asking, then I'm done and you can ask questions or whatever it was you initially wanted to talk about. And I promise I wont treat you different based on your answer.” Clint takes a deep breath, “Have you ever eaten a child?”

Bucky scrubs his hands over his face. “What you have to understand is that food is food. It doesn't matter what size it is, as long as it keeps you from starving. So I'm really sorry, but yes, I have. Before and while with Hydra. At the time it made no difference to me, but now, now I wouldn’t. I don't want to.”

“Hydra had you kill children?” So clint had asked another question, sue him.

“Hydra had me destroy children. Children were generally killed as an example, as a message, so Hydra wanted it messy. Hydra would have me kill children while their parents were tied down to watch, would have me kill whole families. Clint, if its awful and unthinkable, Hydra probably sent me to do it.” There was no wavering in Buckys voice, no quiver indicating upset, just his words. Alright, he's got his answers, its Buckys turn. 

“Thank you for answering. Well, okay, your turn.” Clints claps his hands and rubs them together. Bucky smiles. 

“Mostly I figured you'd have questions. I already talked to Steve and Natasha I'm not worried about, she’ll just ask if she has questions, but you would hold it in until the questions break out at the most inappropriate time. So really, any questions you have, it doesn't have to be about yesterday.” Bucky insists. Clint stops and thinks. Of course he wonders about Bucky, of course he has questions, but until now he wasn't sure if it was okay to ask the questions. 

“You sure?” he asks. Clint wants to be certain he wont get mauled for asking questions.

“Yes I'm sure, i wont be offended or angered by anything you ask, promise.” Bucky assures him. Alright then. 

“Before Hydra, in the mountains, did you wear clothes?” Bucky just starts laughing.

“Nearly a hundred years of experience and thats what you ask me? Yes. Yes we wore clothes. We didn't make them, we took what our prey was wearing, but yes, clothes. I had a really good blue jacket. nice and thick, lots of buttons, I loved that thing. As much as I had the capacity to anyway. Actually came from the same man as my voice.”

“You get sort of… feral, when you eat, uh, people. Is that how you were all the time?”

“Sort of. What you see is a very mild version of how I was, if I was still that way when I ate, none of you would be alive. We get very territorial, even with each other.”

“Territorial, were there enough of you that that was a problem?”

“Well there was so little food any amount of competition was a problem. How Hydra got me… another member of my group nearly ripped my arm off when we got into a fight over a kill. I fell and was left behind, Hydra found me. My mother didn't want them to leave me, but she had to if she wanted to stay with the group.” Bucky sounds, sad almost, when mentioning his mother. 

“Your mother, was your whole group family?”

“Mostly. The one I got into a fight with was an outsider we took in. Don't know why he was abandoned by his family, but mother had an unusually sympathetic heart.”

Clint feels bad for bringing up Buckys family, so asks a different question. “Why didn't you kill Steve? He was your mission right? And you're very protective of him.”

“Because Steve is mine. Steve is mine and I am his. There’s his scent, the scent is what broke through the control hydra had on me, but more than that, Steve just feels… right. Like I'm supposed to always have him, keep him safe, keep him mine. I think he understands that now, understands what he means to me. at first he thought he was my pet. And maybe he was, or even is, in a way. A pet to keep and take care of and let nobody near. I chose him without his consent and took him away from his home, and while I wish it could have been different, I don't regret it, and I never will. To regret it would mean I wish it hadn't happened, but then Steve would be dead and I still under Hydras control.” Bucky speaks with conviction, sure of himself. he knows that Steve is his and that nothing will stop that. Clint knows it too, knows that nothing will get between Bucky and Steve. The latest incident proved that. Buckys thoughts must go in a similar direction.

“I never did thank you. For keeping Steve safe. You protected him and kept him from doing something stupid, and I can never thank you enough for that. But, thank you.” Buckys face is eager, desperate to make Clint understand. And of course he does. 

“Of course bucky. I’ll always keep him safe, he's my friend too. Thanks for coming to the rescue.” Bucky huffs.

“As if I wouldn’t. Steve and you were in danger. I consider you mine as well, just so you know. Not in the same way as Steve, but mine nonetheless. and they threatened what is mine. Like I said, territorial.” Bucky growls. Clint thinks that means Bucky considers him a friend. 

“If that means what I think it means, you're my friend too” Clint says with a smile. Bucky smiles back.

“Good.” Bucky nods in satisfaction. There’s a pause where neither of them speak, but it’s not uncomfortable. After a few moment Bucky stands. “You good?” he asks clint. 

“Yeah, I think thats about it.” Clint confirms. 

“Then I’ll take my leave. Have a good day.” Bucky crouches again and pets Lucky, “And you have a good day as well.” Lucky licks Buckys hand in response. Bucky smiles then walks out the door and shuts it behind him. Well. That was interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [here](http://blaiddthewolf.tumblr.com/post/156230081124/scenes-from-the-fanfic-i-am-writing-the-winter) is some art i did for this series, here  
>   
> [here](http://zsomeone.deviantart.com/art/The-Winter-Creature-658906253)is art done for this pic by z! thank you thank you!


	8. hot chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky makes hot chocolate and steve asks a question

bucky

Bucky feels lighter now, like a weight has been lifted from him. His confessions to Clint make him feel better, and it felt good to talk about his family, just for a little bit. He misses them, his sisters and parents. Bucky hopes the outsider hadn't caused any further trouble for them, not that it matters now. They're all dead most likely. His parents for sure. But maybe his sisters… no, he cant think about it. They're dead, just accept it. Bucky sighs, not feeling quite so light anymore.

Hot chocolate, once Steve had been upset remembering his mother and had made himself hot chocolate and had seemed to feel better after. Bucky could make it, had watched Steve. So he goes to their floor and pulls the milk from the fridge and cocoa mix from the cupboard. He poured milk into a mug, microwaved it until it was hot then pours in some of the chocolate powder. Bucky stirs the drink until there are no more lumps. He looks at the mug, he's forgetting something… oh! He grabs cinnamon and sprinkles it on top. There, finished. Bucky makes his way to the living room with the mug and sits on the floor. (He prefers to sit in the living room over the dining room as there is a very comfy carpet in the living room.) Bucky holds the mug in his hands for a moment, finding the warmth soothing. He almost doesn't think he will care what it tastes like, simply the act of making and then holding the hot chocolate is relaxing.

He takes a sip and sweet scalds his tongue. Buckys not quite sure if he likes how it tastes, he thinks he prefers just milk, but the heat is amazing. It burns his mouth and rushes down his throat to warm him from the inside. It sits in his belly, the pool of hot liquid seeming to cook him inside out. Oh how Bucky wishes he could have had something this hot while in the mountains.

Bucky drinks the rest of the hot chocolate before it cools down any, his tongue now too burnt to taste anything. All the better, he just likes the heat. Bucky is sitting just holding the still warm mug when Steve walks in.

“How you doing Bucky?” Steve laughs when he sees Bucky sitting in the corner with the cup.

“Just finished a hot chocolate. Clint and I talked. My family came up and I was feeling upset, and I remembered you making hot chocolate when you were upset so I made some for myself” Bucky explains.

“Did you like it?” Steve sits down next to Bucky and touches his shoulder on Buckys metal one.

“Sort of. I liked how hot it was.” Bucky says.

“But not the taste?”

“Not really. Too sweet. Maybe just hot milk next time.” He admits. Steve nods in agreement and rests his head on Buckys hard shoulder and yawns. “Long day with Natasha?” Bucky grins.

“So long. So fun. So tired.”

“Well, let’s get you to bed then.” Bucky stands and herds Steve into the bedroom, waiting as he changes into his pajamas and tucking him in. Normally Steve would protest, so he really must be tired. Task finished, Bucky changes into his own pajamas and climbs into the vents. Over the weeks he has brought in more blankets and pillows he finds throughout the floor of the tower and has made his little camp quite cozy. He snuggles under his fuzzy blanket and drifts to sleep.

_It’s fighting with the outsider, trying to keep it away from its food. The dead man is slumped against a rock, blood still dripping from the wound on his neck. The creature holds its broken arm against itself, keening in pain but growling at the outsider. The outsider roars at it, baring its teeth. The creature will not give up, it will not run away and leave its kill for this incompetent beast. The creature lunges, using its good arm to slash at the outsiders neck, who spins away in time for its claws to just scape against its shoulder. Frustrated, in pain, and hungry, the creature desperately tackles the outsider and they roll through the snow, biting at each other. The creatures arm is jostled and the pain causes it to cry out. The outsider uses its bulk to pin the creature into the snow, too close to the edge of the ravine, far too close. The creature manages to heave the outsider off of it but is shoved and tumbles off the edge, falling, falling, falling. It uses both arms to try and catch itself on the side of the rocks, but its left arm, already weakened, is torn off by a jagged edge. It screams in agony. The creature thuds hard into the snow at the bottom, breaking ribs and bruising everything. It can imagine the outsider at the top grabbing its kill and walking somewhere safer to gorge itself. As it is laying there, it is not lost on it that it is in the same spot its last meal came from, and wearing his clothes. It manages to huff a semblance of a laugh, then a cry of pain. The cry turns into a high wail, then screams of fury. It lay screaming at the world, when it hears a returning cry. its mother. It sobs, wanting to go to it, but it can’t, it never can. It knows its mother, with its weak, foolish heart will want to come down, but its father will surely stop it. Its mother cannot come, it will never see its sisters again, it will die here, alone and frozen, too weak and broken to do anything but wail._

Bucky is wailing, crying, he wants his mother, he wants his sisters. He sits up, clutching his fuzzy blanket and sobs.

“Bucky?” a soft voice comes from below him. Steve, Steve is here. Steve… the same as the mans, the man he ate, Deliciaes name. Strange. Same spot he fell, same arm he lost, same name of their любимец. And now that Bucky has access to mirrors, a very similar face… it matters not. Right now, his Steve is worried. Bucky crawls from his bed and jumps down out of the vent. In the split second before his feet touch the ground, his mind panics, but settles when he is firmly planted on his two feet. He looks to Steve.

“Sorry that I woke you. Bad dream.” he mumbles.

“Bucky no, don't worry about it, come here.” Steve beckons Bucky forward, into the bed. Bucky crawls under the warm covers next to Steve and buries his face into his shoulder and continues to sob. Steve doesn't say anything, instead simply holds him, rocking slightly. Buckys cries soften until he is silent, just tears. Steve takes a deep breath.

“What was it about?” he asks in a low voice. Bucky shudders.

“The day I fell. I was fighting with the outsider when it shoved me off a cliff. Thats when my arm was torn off, thats when Hydra got ahold of me. All over a stupid kill. I could've gotten another one, I should have admitted defeat when it broke my arm, I was stupid I lost everything. I’ll never see my mother or father, never hold my sisters again, instead I was made a slave.” Bucky begins to shiver, and Steve holds him closer.

“But you are free now, and… I hope I'm worth something at least.” Steve tries. Oh, oh Bucky had not meant to imply Steve wasn't worth anything.

“Steve, thats not what I meant. Of course I got you, you are special and wonderful and mine mine mine. I just wish you could have been there with me. It wasn't easy, at all, but it was home.” Bucky assures him.

“Yeah, I guess we both cant go home, huh?” Steve says. Oh. And see, theres another reason Bucky wishes he were still home. If he had never left, or even if he had just died at the bottom of that ravine, Steve would not have had to leave his home. But no, Bucky had to go and screw that up too. Bucky starts crying again, and this time Steve has tears of his own. They lay there, both crying until they fall asleep.

steve

Steve wakes up with an idea. Why couldn't Bucky go home? Steve couldn't go with him, he wasn't exactly in the right shape to go hiking up mountains, but maybe he could stay nearby. He just had to convince Bucky. He waits until after Bucky has eaten, then when they are both sitting in the living room, Steve speaks up.

“Do you, do you maybe want to go home? I'm sure we could get Tony to fly us over, and I can stay in a cabin or ski lodge or something nearby, and you can go back home.” Bucky looks shocked.

“Go home?” he whispers.

“Yeah, if, if thats something you want. We don't have to stay, if you just want to visit or something, but we also could. Stay, I mean. I doubt there would be much Hydra threat up in those mountains. Or we could spend part of the year over there, part of it here, see how it goes. What I'm trying to say is, I've always wanted to visit mountains, and if they could be your mountains, that'd be even better, don't you think?”

Bucky doesn't say anything. He doesn't say anything for a long time. Steve is about to apologize, maybe this wasn't a good idea, maybe he just brought up horrible memories, and Bucky is going to walk away and be angry with him and leave and never come back and… purring. A soft purr is stuttering from Buckys throat. Bucky is purring and smiling and suddenly Steve has a lap full of Bucky (who is heavy, by the way), who is nuzzling into Steves hair and Steve is reminded very much of an affectionate cat. Steve smiles, glad he had this thought.

bucky

Go home. It had never really been a serious thought in his mind, going home. He'd always thought of himself as stuck here, prisoner without being a prisoner. But to go home… and with Steve. its true, Bucky doesn't think Steve could quite make it all the way into the mountains, and Bucky doesn't want him to; he'd be a small meal but a meal nonetheless, and there are other groups in the mountains, maybe even nieces and nephews of his. Family. He hadn't thought of that possibility in a while either, that he could still have family in the mountains, beyond who he knew.

He slips off steves lap and sits on the arm of the couch, and rests his chin atop Steves head. “I would love that” he purrs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've realized I've projected myself onto bucky a bit (murderous impulses, likes small spaces, likes snow, not all that freaked out by cannibalism, likes dogs), so i decided to make bucky not like hot chocolate. because i love it. because hot chocolate is amazing


	9. home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky returns home

“Stark, I have a kinda big favor to ask.” Bucky says as stark is working on his arm. Yet again, there’s nothing wrong with it, but Bucky wants Stark in a good mood. Stark raises an eyebrow.

“Should I be worried? Is there a body I need to bury?”

“Please Stark, if I killed someone I would just eat them, no need to bury them. No, Steve and I” stark cuts him off.

“Are you getting married? Do I win the bet?” he sounds excited now.

“No, we’re not getting, wait, what bet?”

“Well,” Stark rubs the back of his neck, “There’s this bet going if you and Steve are together. I say yes, Clint says no but will be soon, and Natasha says no. Now please say I won.”

“As usual, Natasha is the sensible one. Of course Steve and I are not together, and won’t be.”

“Ugh, fine, whats the favor.” Stark groans.

“Steve and I want to go to the Austrian Alps. If I'm given a map I can show you exactly where, but I don't know the name for it.”

“Oh, so you wanna go on vacation. Why there?”

“I wanna go home, at least for a little bit. We’ll see how it goes if we want to stay longer.” Bucky says quietly.

“Oh. You think its a good idea for Steve to be climbing those mountains?”

“He's not going to, we’re not stupid. There are a lot of cabins and ski resorts and camping grounds lower in the alps, I’ll be going alone. Plus, I might run into more lyudoyeds, we’re very territorial, and I don't want him around any of us.” Bucky explains.

“Yeah, probably not a good idea. Okay, count me in, I want to go skiing.” Wait a minute.

“Wait, you're coming?”

“Well duh, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to get out and I want to go skiing, haven't been skiing in forever.” Well, it’s not like Bucky can say no, Stark would have to pay for everything. Sure Steve would insist he could pay for his own room and food, but only for a little while, and if Stark comes its more likely Steve will allow him to pay, and this way they wont be staying in some cheap cabin either, as Stark only gets the best.

“Okay, when are you free?” Bucky asks. He'd hate to have to wait for months, he and Steve were already really excited and ready to go. Hell, Steve was planning what to pack.

“Oh I can be ready in an hour. Come on, chop chop! Let’s get a move on!” stark stands and claps his hands together.

“Stark.”

“Yes dear.”

“Can you finish my arm please.”

“Oh, right.”

—————————

They actually leave a week later, Steve and Bucky needing to buy new clothes. Bucky goes to an army surplus and finds a coat very similar the blue one. He also gets thick snow pants, another, thicker jacket, and lots of socks. He wont be cold again. He meets up with Steve, who had gone shopping with Stark and Clint. They pack, bid Clint and Natasha goodbye, and load up into a plane to make their way to Buckys home. The plane ride is just as awful, and a hell of a lot longer than the one to New York. Bucky sits curled up in a corner unashamedly hugging his fuzzy blanket, Stark sleeps the entire way and Steve makes his way through two books. They arrive at an Austrian airport, a private one, and somehow they don't have to go through security (Bucky might raise a bit of a fuss), which Bucky is very grateful for. He's heard Clints horror stories.

Stark gets a rental car and drives them, again a ridiculously long time, to the ski resort he and Steve will be staying at. Steve sleeps for most of the ride, then immediately falls asleep in their hotel room. Exhausted himself, Bucky curls up in the next bed over while stark goes to an adjoining room. They wake up at would be around seven, but is instead one, so resign themselves to eating lunch for breakfast.

They take a few days to get used to the time change; well, Steve and Bucky do, Tony keeps such a weird sleep schedule that it doesn't really matter much to him. After a week of just staring at the mountains, Bucky gets fidgety.

“You can go you know, this is why we are here. Tony and I will drive you as far as we can, then you can go.” Bucky hugs Steve. He really should more often, Steve deserves all the hugs Bucky can give him. Steve and Tony drop Bucky off at a trail head the next morning and wave as he walks up the trail.

Bucky had never really been this far down the mountain before, too many people, too much of a chance to get noticed. Really noticed. It takes two days for Bucky to begin to recognize where he is, and then he sets off off the trail, making his way to the camp his family had stayed at the last time he had seen them. As Bucky trudges through the snow he feels too warm. He's not supposed to be this warm, this is his home and part of being home is cold, so he strips off his bulky jacket and stuffs it in his backpack along with his tent and sleeping bag.

It takes another day to get to a place he really recognizes, and he has to sit down. He plops down in the snow and starts to cry. He's home, he really is. He's home and just a few days walk away is his любимец and he couldn't be so lucky, there must be something. But as he sits, there’s nothing. No sound, no catch, just rocks, snow, and the occasional stubborn tree. Oh, and a hare. Buckys almost hungry enough to try and catch it, but he comfortable in his spot and can wait a few days to eat, having eaten a lot before he left the tower. After about a half an hour of simply sitting peacefully Bucky gets up and continues until its almost dark then pitches his tent. he pulls out his sleeping bag and settles in for the night.

_The creature slips into the tent and huddles up close to its sisters. They spend the night like this, all of them snuggled together to share warmth. It had been luck that had brought them across the campers with the tents, and not only did they get shelter, they got enough food to last a month. It had been a family hunt, they had surrounded the camp so there was no escape, then one of its sisters began to scream. The campers all woke up and climbed out of their tents, right into their waiting hungry jaws._

Bucky wakes up smiling. That had been a good hunt, had been before the outsider. But now he is hungry. He's been spoiled, having access to as much food as he wants, his last meal should have lasted him much longer, so he growls at his stomach and ignores it. Bucky finds the train tracks where he fell, now old and disused. He stays far away from the edge as he follows them to the pass to get to the camp. he has to climb down the mountain a bit before he can climb back up the next one, and is grateful for his spiked boots. at the ridge of the mountain he starts to run. he's close, so close.

It’s another hour and he comes to the clearing the tents had been in. Of course there was nothing, the family had moved around often. It was nearing nighttime again so he sets up the tent in the spot his and his sisters old tent had been. Instead of getting into the sleeping bag, he snuggles up next to it and pretends its another warm body, his sisters, or Steve, maybe even his mother. He falls asleep happy.

—————————-

The next day, early in the morning, he decides to hunt. Not for hares, a proper hunt. It’s been over a week since he last ate and he's beginning to want nothing more than to eat. So he obliges his body and mind, closes his eyes and slips back to what he was, before Steve, before Hydra.

It opens its eyes. Food, why has it not hunted before now? Stupid. The creature starts off toward where it knows is a trail, toward the possibility of food. It takes about an hour to reach the trail, and the creature spends another hour walking parallel to it, steps quiet and keeps its ears open. It reaches a trail of footsteps leading away from the main trail and follows them, keeping low. After following the footsteps for a while, it sees a tent. Good, good. It creeps up to it as quietly as it can, and sniffs, making sure the person is indeed within it. He is, and still sleeping. the creature can hear the soft snores now that it listens. Saliva pools in the creatures mouth, and it has to swallow to keep it from dribbling down its chin. It steps around to the back of the tent and pauses.

This is too easy, so the creature decides to have a bit of fun. It begins to swat at the tent, shaking the fabric. The man within wakes abruptly with a “What the hell?!” and the creature gives a long low growl. The man inside scrambles out of the tent and looks around, but the creature has slipped behind a rock. The creature gives another growl, this one with more force, and the man begins to run, yes! A chase! The creature jumps out from behind the rock and starts after the man, who is stumbling in his haste to get back to the trail. It takes only a few strides for the creature to catch up to him, then sweep out a leg and trip him. It jumps on top of the man, still growling and flips him over.

“What the, what kind of sick joke are you playing? You scared me half to death! Now get off me!” the man screams. The creature sticks its nose into the crook of the mans shoulder, then licks, slowly, up his neck. “What the fuck man! Get off me, I swear I’ll beat you to bits!”

The creature purrs. “But what fun would that be? No, I'm afraid I'll not be going anywhere.” And then sinks its teeth into his chest. The mans screams, screams and screams, and the creature continues to swallow chunks of good, hot, filling flesh. The mans screams taper off then stop completely, and still the creature eats. It takes its time, it needs not share, it has nowhere to go, there is only it and its prey. The man is nearly half skeleton by the time the creature is finished, his organs spread across the snow and clothes torn to shreds. The creature sits back in the snow, letting the sun warm its belly and drifting into a light doze.

Bucky wakes after a little while and looks around. Blood everywhere, guts spread out in front of him and beside him the body. Bucky cant help the purr that escapes him. But he should get back to his tent, sleep before he has to begin packing up for the return hike to the ski resort, so he hauls himself up and walks away from his meal. Perhaps, if no one has found the man before then, Bucky can stop by again on the way back.

He makes it back to his tent without incident at sunset so curls up in his sleeping bag and goes to sleep, full and happy.


	10. fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> steve and bucky have a fight and stark gets knocked out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember folks, comments sustain this work.

Bucky buries his not-so-blue-anymore jacket at his campsite and is grateful his pants are black and don't show the blood stains surely coating them. He ends up not stopping at the body, walking past it on the trail back to Steve. It takes him only two and half days to get back to the trail head, the downward journey back much easier than the hike up. He pulls out his phone and turns it on, texting Stark asking to come pick him up. Bucky waits on a bench for about an hour before he sees the rental car pull up. He walks over and opens the door. 

“Did you have fun?” Stark asks as he lays his thick jacket down on the seat so he won’t get the car too dirty. Bucky just purrs in response. “It’s weird when you do that, use your words.”

“Yes, I had a lot of fun. Where’s Steve?”

“Stevie went on a short nature hike with his watercolors right after you called, we agreed it'd be easiest for me to just pick you up, he’ll be back at the room by the time we get there.” Stark pauses. “He’s upset as well. You wouldn't happen to know anything about a bear attack would you?”

Bucky freezes. He knew he couldn't keep his kill secret, but he hadn't expected the camper to be found quite so quickly. 

Stark sighs. “So it was you. I was hoping the bear population was finally making a comeback. Steves pissed. Got to admit, I'm pissed too, I'm just better at masking it. Expect a good yelling at from Steve when we get back. Come on Bucky, Hydra is one thing, but a camper? He was meeting up with his friends, they have a yearly camping trip. They found him in pieces near his tent. You couldn't have packed food, or caught an innocent bunny, or something?”

Bucky thunks his head on the dashboard and closes his eyes. “Stark, I was home. I was home for the first time in seventy years and I wanted to really be home. I wanted to feel connected to my family again and I let myself become the thing again, the creature, and Stark, it felt so good. It’s hard for me, to be like this, to talk, to not kill, to…to just be. I'm a monster, Stark, and always will be. People seem to forget that. Now can I just… I'm going to sleep.” He pulls his head up and leans against the car door. He doesn't fall asleep, can’t fall asleep, but Stark leaves him alone. 

They reach the resort and Bucky trails after Stark, who fills the silence with chatter about his latest project. When they get to their rooms, Stark practically flees to his own room, leaving Bucky alone with a very pissed off Steve. Bucky looks at his boots. 

“Have a good time Bucky?” Steve asks with mock sincerity. 

“What did you expect Steve?” Bucky defends, “For me to go home and make a few snow angels? Of course I hunted. We've gone over this, it’s what I am.”

“We've gone over this in regard to missions against Hydra, not innocent hikers! Bucky this is wrong!” Steve spits.

“Wrong to you maybe, wrong in your mind, but not mine. To me all humans are are food! You, Stark, Clint and Natasha, Fury, those are the only exceptions. Everyone else in the tower, all potential prey, still alive only because of you.”

“So if you didn't have me, you wouldn't care? You'd let yourself be a monster?”

“I wouldn't let myself, that’s just how it would be. I'm not human, Steve, I don't apply to your moral code, I am a monster, and nothing can change that! And I don't want it to change, I like who I am, I thought you'd made your peace with that already.”

“Well I wasn't really given a choice was I? Taken from my home and held hostage by a man eating monster that decided I would be his, then dragged around from place to place without my say, and only let out with a babysitter! My life hasn't exactly been nice lately, and all of it thanks to you!” 

“You are alive because of me! Hydra would have you dead, Steve.”

“Maybe that would be better, then I wouldn't be stuck living my life stuck with a monster!”

Bucky snarls, standing with his hands fisted and Steve takes a step back. Fine. Fine, if Steve didn't want him, he would go home. Maybe then Steve can too. Steve takes a step toward Bucky, toward the creature, because really, thats who he is without Steve, but he turns on his heel and stalks out of the room, snatching up his backpack on his way. He makes his way out of the resort and starts down the road to the trailhead that brought him home. It would take a few hours to reach it walking, but it didn't matter. Bucky walks up the twisty road and reaches the trail head about an hour before night fall. He walks a little ways then sets up his tent off the trail a ways. He lays down for the night and frustrated tears fall down his face. He doesn't need Steve. He spent his whole life without him and can survive the rest of it. At least he's back home. 

——————————

 

A few days later Bucky is back at his campsite and has dug up the blue coat. He lays it atop a rock to melt and dry off in the sun. For a while Bucky, no, the creature, the creature just sits in the snow. It doesn't move, doesn't make a sound, just… sits. It doesn't think of anything, just falls farther and farther into its feral headspace. Away from morals, away from Steve, away from anything that would cause pain. By the end of the day, the creature hardly remembers, its only thought is to survive. The creature isn't hungry so works on making sure its camp is secure. It slowly makes wider and wider perimeter checks until it is a good mile from its camp. tomorrow it will search farther, make sure there are no others in its new, or rather, old territory. But for now it returns to its tent and goes to sleep

steve

 

Why hasn't Bucky come back? It’s been a week and he hasn't come back. Steve hadn't meant to drive him off, he'd just been so frustrated, so angry. He thought Bucky had understood what was right and what was wrong better than this, had thought coming here would be a good idea. Apparently not.

It had seemed like such a wonderful thought; visit the mountains, get some art done, Bucky can visit home. But why hadn't it ever crossed Steves mind that Bucky would… it was stupid, he was stupid. Bucky isn't human, he doesn't have the same morals and sense of right and wrong. Steve had thought maybe Bucky had learned, but apparently that was asking too much. 

But he hadn't wanted Bucky to leave, not for this long anyway. What if Bucky didn't come back? What if Steve had driven him into the mountains again, feeling unwanted and rejected? Another week, Steve decides. He would wait another week then he would go looking for Bucky, mountains and snow be damned. 

the creature

 

The creature spends the next week re-exploring its territory. Nothing else was here, which left the creature a little disappointed. It had wanted to see its own kind, but perhaps they had all moved on. All for the best, meeting others likely would have ended in a fight. But it was lonely. Lonely and sick of feeling alone. It should be perfectly fine on its own, it had everything it needed, but something was telling the creature it shouldn't be alone. It doesn't quite remember why, but something was niggling in the corner of its mind, saying find him, go to him, keep him. But the creature cant remember who. Who was it supposed to find? 

The creature shakes its head with a growl. It doesn't matter! It is alone and home and it isn't hungry and thats all that matters. All that matters. The creature huffs and plops into the snow, fisting its hands in its hair. It sighs after a few minutes, its head sore. The creature gets up and makes his way back to its tent. its still early but it doesn't care, just curls up in the tent in the sleeping bag and closes its eyes. 

———————-

 

The next week goes by in the same fashion, exploring and growling at something it cant quite remember. By the time the week is over the creature wants to eat again, so begins the march to a nearby trail. Not too nearby, but close enough for it to only be a days walk. It reaches the trail at nightfall and pulls its sleeping bag out of its backpack and beds down for the night a little ways off the trail. 

It wakes in the morning to a soft voice carried over the air. A person. Really this was too easy. The creature slips out of its sleeping bag and stuffs it back into its backpack, then follows the voice. It grows louder as the creature gets closer.

“Bucky! Bucky!” the voice yells, then the creature can see him. He's small, blonde, and probably in no condition to be climbing these mountains. Theres another person as well, taller, but not tall, with dark hair, and he seems to be grumbling complaints behind the small man. 

“If he doesn't want to come back then why are we looking for him? We've been out here a week and haven't seen any sign of him, lets just go back.” the taller man complains. 

“No! i have to find him, he's been alone for two weeks, you know thats how long he can go without eating, if we don't find him now he’ll kill someone else, and I want him back!” the short man yells back, then continues to trudge through the snow. The dark haired man grumbles some more but follows the blonde.

The creature considers its options. It could sing or scream to lure them off the path, but luring generally worked better with just one person, so it decided to simply kill them. Well, play a bit first, but then kill them. It creeps up so it is following off the trail behind the pair. They stop to breathe and drink water sitting on a clump of rocks. It pads up behind the taller one and grabs him around the chest and neck, off the rocks, pulling him back and away from his companion. He screams, calling the short mans attention. 

“Tony!” he yells, then scrambles over the rocks and toward the creature. Tony, apparently was the dark haired mans name, squirms and bucks, trying to wriggle out of the creatures grasp. Not likely. The creature continues to pull him backwards through the snow, away from the smaller man, out of his sightline, then stops when he reaches a tree. It pauses to slam the screaming mans head against the trunk, knocking him out. 

“Tony?!” the small man sounds frantic, terrified now that his friend has stopped screaming. Now, the creature could just drag this one away and leave the small one to fend for himself. But if it kills them both and keeps one of them frozen in the snow it would not have to hunt for another a month, maybe two, so it leaves Tony by the tree and walks toward the blonde. the creature doesn't bother hiding, simply walks toward the man, teeth bared. but instead of looking scared the man looks, relieved. 

“Bucky!” he sighs out. The creature tilts its head and snarls. “Bucky, what are you doing?” The man looks nervous now, backing up with each step the creature takes. 

“Who the hell is Bucky?” the creature growls. 

“You are! You're Bucky, you're my friend, and I'm yours and I named you remember? I named you Bucky, and please, what are you doing, why are you acting like this?” The man is crying now, still backing up. “It’s me, it’s Steve, please, what did you do to Tony?” Steve, that’s his name, pleads.

But the creature continues to advance and Steve falls backward into the snow. The creature drops down on all fours on top of him. It shoves Steve down further into the snow and sticks its nose into the small mans neck and inhales deeply. The growl rumbling in its chest stops. The mans scent. Deliciae. 

“Bucky?” Steve whimpers out. The creature relaxes above Steve, pleased by his scent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't figure out how to get rid of the fish note. I'm trying, i swear


	11. captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the creature takes steve and tony home and steve just doesn't know whats good for him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> long chapter this time guys, warning for very mild self harm

steve

 

Steve is pressed into the snow with Bucky looming over him. Two and a half weeks and Bucky was back to this, like he didn't even remember Steve. But judging by the way he was relaxing as he sniffs Steve he still has the same reaction to Steves scent. Thank god. But what about tony? Had Bucky already killed him? “Bucky.” he starts slowly, “Bucky what did you do to Tony?”

Bucky huffs. “He's alive.” Steve sighs in relief. Then Steve is being hauled to his feet and shoved roughly in the direction he saw Bucky drag tony. They walk only a few steps before Steve sees him and runs to him. 

“Tony! Tony, wake up, come on, wake up.” Steve is scared for a moment that Bucky was wrong, that Tony is dead, but after a moment he sees Tonys chest rise, then fall, and sighs in relief. Then Bucky is right behind him, startling Steve. He walks around Steve and picks Tony up to fling him over his shoulder, then shoves Steve again. 

“Walk, we’re going home.” then gets in front of Steve and begins to walk, Tony flung over his shoulder. Not having much choice, Steve follows after him. It takes them all day, and Bucky has to help Steve quite a few times, but by the time its dark they've reached a small clearing in the rocks with Buckys tent in the middle. Bucky makes his way toward the tent, Steve trailing after him, and he flings Tony down into the snow. 

“No! He’ll freeze, at least put him in the tent. Please, he's my friend, I want him to be okay.” Steve begs. Before, this had saved Natasha and Sam, hopefully his pleas will save Tonys life as well. Bucky sighs but picks up Tony and places him in the tent. He leaves the door flap open and beckons Steve inside. Steve crawls in and huddles up next to Tony, trying to keep him at least sort of warm. Bucky crawls in after him and takes his sleeping bag from his backpack and flings it over all three of them before stretching out out and clasping onto Steve, one arm under his own head the other resting over Steves middle. 

It had been quite a while since Bucky had slept with Steve, and while Steve had wanted Bucky to come down out of the vents, he hadn't imagined it being like this; in the middle of the mountains, in a tent with an unconscious Tony on one side of him and a completely regressed Bucky on the other. Steve did eventually fall asleep, the days events and long hike exhausting. 

—————-

 

Steve wakes up to Tony stirring next to him. He sits up, awakening Bucky. Tony groans. “Ow, oh I don't remember drinking, why does my head hurt?”

“Hey Tony. You, uh, you were knocked unconscious.” Steve explains. 

“Oh shit. Oh, shit! Where are we, where’s-” he sits up abruptly and spots Bucky, who is still curled against Steve but staring directly at Tony with his teeth bared. “Oh. Hey, we found Bucky. Why’s he all snarly?”

“Uh, he's the one that knocked you out, I don't think he remembers anything.” Steve says hesitantly. 

“What?!” Tony yells. Bucky sits up and reaches over Steve to shove Tony down. “Whoa! Okay big guy, I mean no harm, just, uh, a little surprised. No need to get all bitey.” Bucky eyes tony suspiciously and looks at Steve. Steve, who is currently flattened by Bucky, nods. 

“He’s okay, he wont hurt you, or me.” Steve assures Bucky. Bucky bares his teeth again at tony but takes his hands off of him. He then leans over and unzips the tent door and climbs out. Steve follows him and tony climbs out soon after. Bucky turns and looks at Steve. 

“Stay here, I’ll be back tonight, maybe tomorrow morning. Don't wander off, this is the middle of my territory, you'll be safe.” Bucky orders, then walks off in the direction they came from yesterday.

“Where’s he think he's going.” Tony grumbles.

“Tony, what was he was he doing yesterday? He attacked us because he was hunting, what do you think he's doing now?” he mutters solemnly.

“Oh. Should, should we stop him?” Tony suggests.

“How would we do that? Tony, if he doesn't get someone else he's gonna eat you.” Steve counters. 

“Oh. Well, I'm against that. But I'm also kind of against him eating someone else.”

“We don't have much choice. Come on, lets eat something, I'm hungry.”

“How could you possibly be hungry after the conversation we just had?” Tony sticks his tongue out. 

“Practice.” Steve replies, then opens his backpack and pulls out two granola bars. He tosses one to Tony and opens one for himself and sits down on a rock. Tony sighs and sits next to him and opens his own breakfast. 

tony

 

The granola bar sits heavy in his stomach, making him feel nauseous. His chest is freezing where metal meets skin, and he wishes he had his heated armor. Wouldn't that be nice, but not very practical for a hiking trip. And Tony couldn't stop thinking about what Bucky was doing, hunting down another innocent mountain trekker. It made him sick.

But he couldn't think about it all day, so he and Steve pull out the travel sized chess/checkers games they brought and set up in the snow. Steve, the little bastard, was really good at both games. Usually Tony won against anyone but Natasha pretty easily, but with Steve he had to actually try. But it was good, it passes the time and soon enough, after a ‘just add water’ meal, Steve and Tony curled up, back to back, in the tent. 

steve

 

Steve is woken in the morning by a heavy thump outside of the tent. He sits up and rubs the sleep out of his eyes, then looks over at Tony. Still asleep. That man could either sleep through anything or wake up at the slightest noise. Seems today though it is ‘sleep through anything’, so he unzips the tent and rolls out. Outside is Bucky and, well, as expected, a body. Bucky lifts his head at the sound of the tent opening and looks around to Steve. He grins proudly and shifts to show Steve his kill. Steve has to close his eyes and take a deep breath before he can smile and nod at Bucky. He skirts around Bucky and the body to make his way to his backpack so he can pull out a granola bar. Bucky wrinkles his nose when he sees it. 

“What is that?” he growls. 

“It’s a granola bar. It’s what I'm eating for breakfast.” Steve explains. 

“But I got food.” Bucky says. 

“No, Bucky, I can’t eat that. Humans don't eat other humans, at least, most of us don’t. I don’t.” Poor Bucky looks confused, like he cant understand why anyone would pass up food caught for them. But then his face turns stormy. Shit, this won’t be good. 

“You need to eat this.” Bucky insists sternly.

“No, I'm fine with this, really.” Steve tries to assure Bucky. But Bucky snarls. “Bucky, I'm not going to eat that, I'm sorry. It just means more for you.” Apparently that was not the right thing to say, as Bucky stalks over and grabs the back of Steves jacket and pulls him toward the body. Steve struggles and tries to pull away, but Bucky holds tight. Steve is pinned down next to the body, and has to stare at the mans sightless yes and slack jaw. Tears begin to flow out of Steves eyes as Bucky sits on him to stop him from escaping then cuts small chunks of flesh off the body with his claws. Steve knows what happens next and tries to keep his mouth shut and his teeth clenched but Bucky uses his metal fingers to pry open Steves jaws, then sticks one finger in the corner of his mouth to prevent him from closing it again.

the creature

 

His human is being stubborn. He doesn't know whats good for him, so has to be force fed. The creature keeps Steves mouth open with one hand and grabs the small chunks of meat with the other. It slips the first piece into the mans mouth and forces it closed before he can spit it out. The creature keeps its palm over steves mouth and pinches his nose with its thumb and forefinger and uses its other hand to massage steves throat, forcing him to swallow. When Steve does it takes its hand off his mouth and he gasps and sobs. Bucky turns his head to the sound of the tent opening again. 

“What the hell are you doing?! Get off of him!” Tony yells and tackles the creature. Well, tries to. The creature twists and uses the mans own momentum to throw him into the snow. It stands and stalks toward its attacker, who is trying to stand up in the deep snow. It shoves the man back onto the ground then kneels down to drive its knees into Tonys chest. He exhales hard and tries to suck in air, but the creature holds his chest down, preventing any inhalations. Tony scrabbles at the creatures legs, trying to dislodge it, but the creature doesn't budge. The creature leans forward and places its metal hand around Tonys neck and squeezes.

“Desiderans!” it hears Steve scream. What, how does he know… “Rubiginem, decem et septum!” he continues. The creature cant move, is too stunned to move. “Mane, caminus, novem, benigne, donec, unum, suspendisse car.” the creature shudders, and its mind goes blank. 

“Ready to comply.” it rumbles.

“Stop choking tony!” its handler orders. The creature looks down. Oh, it still had its hand around the mans throat. It lets go and stands, lifting its weight off Tony so he can breathe. The man gasps and wheezes, holding one hand against his neck and the other stretched out as if to keep the creature at bay. But the creature pays no attention to the man, instead turns toward its handler. 

“Ready to comply.” it repeats. Its handler, Steve, it remembers, is crying. Why is the handler crying? Did the creature do something wrong?

“Bucky, what do you remember, about me?” Steve asks, his voice quivering. 

“I remember you call me Bucky, and you are Steve. I was hunting, but you aren't food, so I brought you home. You told me not to kill him,” it motions to Tony “so I didn’t. You wouldn't eat, didn't know what was good for you, so I had to feed you.”

“No, Bucky, before that. When we were in the tower, and the compound, with Tony and Clint and Natasha?” Steve tells him. The creature does not remember this. It shakes its head. 

“I don't remember that.”

“Okay, okay, what about before that, do you remember Hydra?” Hydra… Hydra means pain, pain and suffering and hunger and loneliness. Yes, the creature remembers Hydra.

“Are you Hydra?” the creature asks. It has to work to not snarl out its question. 

“No! No Bucky, Hydra sent you to kill me, remember? But you didn’t, you broke free from them and you don't have to ever go back.” The handler promises. Free from Hydra? That sounds good. How was he free from Hydra? Steve was his target, but Steve smelled like safety, and warmth so the creature hadn't killed him. Steve, Steve, oh fuck Steve.

“Steve?” Bucky whimpers. 

“Yeah, yeah it’s me Bucky.” Steve sobs. Oh god, oh god what had he done. Stark! Bucky whirls around to face Stark who flinches back from where he's sitting in the snow. Starks alive, Starks alive, and Steve is safe but, but… oh god what did he do to Steve? Bucky sinks down into the snow and clutches his hair in his hands and pulls. 

“Bucky! Bucky stop, you'll hurt yourself!” Steve cries. Yeah, thats kinda the point Steve. But Bucky is still under the influence of the words, so his hands slip from his hair. Bucky sits numbly in the snow, wanting nothing more than the ground beneath him swallow him whole, never to be seen again. Never by stark, who he almost killed, never ever by Steve, who he made… who he made eat human flesh. Absorbed in his thoughts, he flinches when something touches his shoulder.

“Bucky?” Steve says softly. “Bucky, its okay.” Bucky shakes his head. No. No, its not. Bucky fucked up then ran away just to fuck up even more. Nothing will ever be okay. Steve kneels down in front of Bucky and Bucky squeezes his eyes shut. He wants to look at Steve, wants to see his face, but needs to keep away from him. But Steve, damn him, keeps giving him orders.

“Bucky, I need you to look at me.” Bucky opens his eyes and lifts his head, looking at Steve. Steves eyes are red and puffy, tears stain his cheeks. Snow is clumped in his hair and a bit of blood is smeared on the corner of his mouth. Buckys eyes fix on the blood, on the evidence of what he had done, what he had made Steve do. Tears well up in Buckys eyes and begin to fall. He wants to put his head back down, to continue to pull his hair, but those stupid words wont let him. Instead he has to keep staring at Steve, continue to see the person he has hurt. 

“I'm okay Bucky, you didn't hurt me. And tony will be fine, and we can go back to the tower and forget about this and everything will be fine. Right tony?” Steve calls out to Stark without looking at him.

Stark coughs and gives thumbs up. “We’re all good, shit happens. Not the first person to try to kill me, I'm used to it.” That’s not really comforting. 

“See? We’re going to be okay.” Steve tries to assure him. No, no Steve its not. But Bucky can’t argue with his handler, so can’t say anything to the contrary. He just whimpers. Steve leans forward and wraps his arms around Bucky. Bucky cant move, cant pull away, cant push Steve away. He's stuck being embraced by his любимец, his Deliciae, by the one he hurt so much. 

“Why? How can you be forgiving me? I forced you to do what you consider a horrible thing, I nearly killed Stark, you shouldn't forgive me.” Bucky whines. 

“But I do forgive you, I do and Tony does and we’re going back to the hotel now okay?” It may have been phrased as a question, but that was an order, and Bucky has to obey so he stands and begins to pack up his tent. Stark raises an eyebrow.

“I was expecting more opposition than that to be honest.” he mutters.

“Well I don't have much of a choice do I?” Bucky snaps. Steves eyes widen.

“Are you still, do you still have to listen to everything I say?” he almost whispers. Bucky just nods. “Oh my god, I'm so sorry! We can, we can stay here until it wears off, you don't have to go just because I say, I’d really really like you to though.”

“Let’s just go.” Bucky sighs. “We both know I would do anything for you anyways.” He shoulders his backpack, now containing his sleeping bag and tent and starts off for the trail. Steve helps Tony out of the snow and they trail after Bucky. Bucky keeps the pace slow so they can keep up. He wants to run, hide, never be seen again, throw himself off the ravine again, but this time with no Hydra to pick him up and put him back together. He wants stay by Steve forever and never let go and never leave his side. He wants he wants he wants. There are so many things he wants, all contradicting each other and tearing him to pieces. 

On their first break he sits down away from Steve and Stark. Steve had tried to get up to sit by him, but Stark pulled him back down. Bucky is grateful Stark can see he needs to be left alone right now. The worst part, well, not the worst, but another bad aspect to add to this whole shit-fest, is Bucky is still hungry. He had not eaten any of the camper himself, his instincts having told him to feed Steve first, so his stomach is empty and complaining. He had considered eating before they left the camper, but Steve… no, that hadn't been an option. Bucky keeps an ear open as they walk, hoping they may stumble across something scurrying around in the snow. In the late afternoon they're resting again and Stark points to a cluster of rocks.

“Whats that?” Bucky lifts his head and looks. Yes. A marmot. 

“That’s a marmot, now shut up and keep still.” He whispers and begins to creep up to the rocks. The marmot isn't too concerned until he's about ten feet away, then scurries under a rock. Bucky growls and leaps forward and sticks his metal hand under the rocks after it. He gropes around for a moment until his hand finds the animal. He grabs on and ignores the bites the animal is trying to give him; this is why he used his metal hand. He pulls it out from under the rocks and holds it up triumphantly. 

“I didn't mean grab it! I just wanted to know what it is!” Stark yelps.

“Well, right now its lunch slash dinner, so now you know.” Bucky says, looking at the marmot and sitting on the rock it had been sunning itself on. Stark looks horrified. It’s funny. But Bucky is hungry so snaps the animals neck. It stops squirming and hangs limply in his hands. Not really caring whether Stark or Steve are watching, they've had plenty of warning, he sinks his teeth into the flesh, swallowing quickly and taking another bite. Marmots are a fair bit bigger than rabbits, so it takes him a little longer to eat, but crunching through the bones is more satisfying. He finishes his meal far too quickly for his liking, but the sharp edge of his hunger has been abated. Bucky spends a minute licking his hands as clean as he can then scrubs them in the snow.

“We should set up the tent now, before it gets dark.” Bucky says, picking up his bag from where he'd dropped it off to catch the marmot and pulls out the tent. He sets it up quickly in a flat, sturdy spot and lays out his sleeping bag inside. Steve and Stark pull their own bags out and put them in the tent, ready for when they want to go to sleep. 

Bucky leaves Steve and Stark eating their own dinner while he goes hunting for more animals. He wanders randomly, passing by a few pika as they would take more energy to catch than they would provide. He finally comes across a group of ptarmigans, scratching through the snow for food. Bucky stands and waits for them to decide he's not a threat and continue to forage, then jumps straight into the middle of the flock, managing to grab one in each hand. The rest of them flutter and flap their away across the ground, leaving Bucky with the two in his hands. He kills and eats them right there, content except for the feathers that clog his throat, and he spends the walk back to Steve and Stark coughing them up. Bucky gets back to Steve and Stark in a better mood than he was that morning, food and time to wind down having done him good. He sits down across from Steve and Stark and gives a tired smile. 

“I'm sor-” he tries to apologize but another feather tickles the back of his throat and he is sent into a coughing fit. Stark rocks back and starts laughing as Bucky spits the feather out. 

“I take it you found food?” Steve smiles. Bucky nods, rubbing his throat. Steve doesn't ask anything further, just laughs a little. Bucky half-heartedly glares at the two of them through their giggles. 

“Sorry.” Steve says, still giggling a little. 

“I'm not!” Stark laughs. “You ate a bird and now its come back to haunt you! Ha!” He collapses back into laughter. Bucky cant help but smile. “Well,” stark slaps his own legs and stands, “I'm off to bed, goodnight all.” then turns and ducks into the tent, still giggling. It wasn't that funny. 

There’s silence for a bit as the sun goes down, then Steve speaks up, “Is it alright if I sit next to you? It’s not an order, its a question.” Bucky nods and pats beside him. Steve gets up, walks to Bucky and sits next to him. He leans into Buckys shoulder slowly, giving him the opportunity to pull away. Instead Bucky leans in as well so their weights are resting against each other. “I'm glad you're safe.” Steve mumbles sleepily. Bucky shrinks in on himself. He may be safe, but is Steve? Is Stark? Is anyone that crosses his path? No. “I was really worried when you left. I'm so sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it.” Steve apologizes.

“Part of you did though.” Bucky murmurs. 

“Maybe then, but not now. I regret saying it now, and I know I cant take it back, but I hope that you can forgive me?” Steve asks. Bucky sighs and twists, pulling Steve into a hug. 

Bucky rests his chin atop steves head. “You have nothing to apologize for Steve. Just forget about it okay?” Steve nods as best he can with Buckys head atop his. They might stayed like that for a while but the air is frigid so Bucky leads them into the tent. Stark is asleep, laying straight at the edge of the tent, the dim light from the arc reactor highlighting the concentrated look on his face. Probably inventing something in his sleep. Bucky and Steve squeeze into one sleeping bag, Bucky curling around Steve to protect him from the cold.


	12. James Buchanan Barnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky finds out more about, well, bucky, and meets bruce banner

They pack up swiftly in the morning, Bucky breaking down the tent as Stark and Steve eat something, then get on the road. Well, trail. If it were just Bucky traveling he would be able to make the rest of the trip in two days, but with Steve and Stark it may take a week, so Bucky has them start early. He doesn't want to leave, not really, but it is what Steve wants, so leave they shall. It’s not that Steve is ordering him to, no, the words have worn off by mid-day, but Bucky would do anything Steve asked of him. So they spend the next week working their way down the mountain, Bucky finding small animals to eat everyday in replacement of the dead camper. One day a rabbit, one day a weasel, one another marmot. They pass a few big animals, an ibex, a group of sheep that Bucky eyes, but eventually decides to pass up. Too much work and too much of a chance for injury. They reach the trailhead in five days, Steve and stark exhausted. They rest for a while before Stark drives them back to the ski resort. Bucky gazes out the window the whole time, watching as his mountains grow smaller and smaller. 

———————-

 

“I'm sorry this didn't work out.” Steve says from his bed when they get back. 

Bucky purses his lips. “Yeah, me too.” But it did work out, at least, it did at first. The beginning of this trip was great, but he'd screwed that up. Then screwed it up more, then even more. But Bucky wouldn't bring that up. Instead he asks an off topic question thats been sitting in his mind for a while. “Why'd you choose the name Bucky?”

Steve gives a soft laugh. “It’s stupid. He was a World War II hero, and his best friend was named Steve Rogers. I always got teased cus he, the other Steve, was big and strong while I’m, well, this. But anyway, James ‘Bucky’ Barnes was Steves second in command, Steve being ‘Captain America’. It’s kinda weird now that I think about it, Barnes died in these mountains.”

“How'd he die?” Bucky has an idea of how he died, but wants to be sure.

“Fell off a train.” Bucky starts laughing. The quiet kind that covers up hurt. Steve looks over at him. “You okay?”

“He kept saying Steve. When he was at the bottom of the ravine, he kept saying Steve. Repeating it over and over. I figured it was his own Deliciaes name, guess I was right.”

Steve props himself up on his elbows. “Bucky, how do you know that?” 

Bucky smiles sadly. “Apparently I ate a war hero Steve. And I ate the person I'm named for. I stole his clothes and ate his body and now I'm named after him. He looked like me, you know that?”

“Yeah, thats why his name popped into my head when Sam asked who you were.” Steve says.

“In the fall from the train his left arm got torn up too.” Bucky holds up his metal arm, watching the dim light from the moon reflect off it. He lowers it again and they sit in silence. 

“Wait, stole his clothes?” Steve interrupts the quiet. 

Now Bucky actually laughs. “Yeah, the clothes I had were thin and worn, his were thick, and we were the same size, so I took his clothes. Boots too. I loved that jacket. Very similar to the one I got for this trip. Nice dark blue and deep pockets. Lots of buttons. How else do you think we got clothes?” 

“I don't know, I never really thought about it I guess. So you killed, stole from, and ate James Buchanan Barnes?” Steve asks.

“Not in that order but yes.” he confirms. 

“Well no wonder they never found a body.”

Bucky turns toward Steve. “You sure are morbid tonight.”

“I'm exhausted.” Steve admits.

“Well then go to sleep you punk.” Bucky says with a smile.

“Yeah, fine, alright. Jerk.” Steve mumbles turning over and snuggling into the covers. A few minutes later his breaths even out and deepen and Bucky twists in his own bed, getting himself comfortable. The bed is too soft, and the room is too warm, and everything feels wrong. He's going to have to get used to sleeping in an actual bed again. 

—————————

 

It’s a few days before they're able to leave again, and by the time Bucky sets foot back in the tower, he's starving. The last thing he had was grouse a week ago and he's about ready to rip someones throat out. Bucky doesn't bother dropping his stuff off at Steve and his rooms, instead he goes straight to the rabbit room. He's not so cruel to the other rabbits as to eat them there, but he makes it back to their kitchen in record time. If it were possible for Bucky to swallow them whole he probably would have, and as it stands he eats the rabbits quicker than is probably healthy, however Bucky doesn't care. He just cares that he is no longer tempted to eat the nearest Stark employee. Well, no more than usual. 

Finished with the two rabbits Bucky unpacks his bags. He pulls out the bloodied blue jacket from the bottom and stares at it a while. Eventually he tosses it up into the vent and decides he’ll deal with it later. Steve is still busy unpacking his things and Bucky wants to spend some time alone, so he heads to the bunny sanctuary, wanting the soothing effect of petting the rabbits. 

Bucky reaches the room and steps in and has to cover up a sigh of frustration. Theres already someone here. Not Stark, or Clint, but someone new. Bucky is wary, there’s a stranger in what he considers his territory, but he knows its Starks territory before it is his, so works to keep his suspicion low. “Who are you?” Okay so he wasn't very good at keeping his hostility hidden. But he hasn't shown his teeth yet, so kudos on him for that. 

The other man turns toward him with a little bit of a surprised look on his face. “Oh! um, hi. My name’s Bruce, Bruce Banner.” Bucky relaxes at hearing his name. Stark has talked about Bruce. Brilliant scientist, bit shy, occasionally an enormous green rage monster. But a good person. “You must be Bucky.” Bruce guesses. This puts Bucky on edge again. How much does this man know about him? “I'm sorry, it’s just that Tony has gushed about your arm. he hasn't told me anything about it, just that he thinks it’s amazing. Other than that i know nothing about you, don't worry.” Bruce assures him. Bucky nods. Good. its not hard to figure out he's not human, but he'd rather that be disclosed at his own discretion. 

Deciding the best approach is to just get it out in the open, Bucky smiles, open lipped, to show his teeth, and offers his clawed hand. “Yes, I'm Bucky.” Bruce startles a little at Buckys teeth, but doesn't hesitate to shake his hand. He can feel the questions forming in the mans mind, but Bruce doesn't voice them. “You can ask.” Bucky consents. 

“You're… not human?” Bruce speaks hesitantly. Bucky shakes his head.

“No, I'm not.” he confirms.

“May I ask what it is you are?” 

“I'm a lyudoyed, usually better known as a wendigo.” he explains. 

“A wendigo? That’s fascinating. Wow, do you mind if I ask more questions?” the man asks. Bucky stiffens. He's not sure he's okay with this stranger knowing any more about him, and he certainly is not comfortable being questioned by someone he doesn't know. “I can see thats a no. Thats perfectly fine. I’ll leave you alone with the rabbits then.” Bruce says, going to exit the room.

“You, you can ask Stark, if you want. About me I mean. If he trusts you, I suppose I should too.” Bucky says before the man can leave. 

Bruce smiles, “Thank you, Bucky. Have a good day.” Then leaves quietly. Bucky stands for a moment, then takes a deep breath and moves to the wall and sits down. Almost immediately a white rabbit, not snowball, hops up to him and jumps in his lap. Bucky smiles and scratches behind the rabbits ears. The rabbit, Bucky thinks he’ll name her Grace, stretches out and yawns, snuggling down into a more comfortable position. Bucky smiles and scratches gently across the rabbits back. Grace practically purrs and melts further into Buckys lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me if you get the once upon a time reference!


	13. punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky has a talk with fury and clint wants to know what the hell happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so its been brought to my attention that if bucky ate only rabbits he wouldn't get all the fat and nutrients he needs to survive. I'm not gonna go back and change everything, but i really appreciate being told this, it'll help in the future i think. so yeah, don't eat just rabbits kids, you'll get sick. instead, pet a rabbit, much more gratifying.

Bucky makes sure Steve is tucked in and sleeping before he crawls into the vents. He pauses, looking at the jacket he had tossed up into the vent. He's not sure what he should do with it. Certainly never show it to Steve, to him it would only be a reminder of Buckys failure. But to Bucky this jacket means home, so he folds it neatly and puts it underneath one of his pillows. He rests his head on the pillow and pulls his fuzzy blanket over himself. The scent of snow and blood, the scent of home, seeps from the jacket and through the pillow sending Bucky softly to sleep. 

—————————-

 

“Bucky!” The voice echoes around him, startling him from sleep. In a smooth motion he rolls into a crouch and pulls a knife hidden beneath his pillows, and snarls at the supposed threat. “Whoa! Okay, its just me, its Clint, I can see now that was a flawed wake up plan.” Clint. Clint was in the vents with him. Bucky relaxes, putting his knife down and letting his lips slide back over his teeth. He needs to put up barriers so that Clint cant get into his vent space undetected.

“Not a good idea to startle me Clint. What do you want?” Bucky sighs.

“Yeah, I'm seeing that now. Sorry about that. Um, Fury wants to see you.” 

Bucky groans. “Noooooooo. Can I just, not? I know I'm fucked, I'm never doing another mission again, can I just accept my fate in peace?”

“Okay one,” Clint holds up one finger, “I have no idea what you're talking about. I feel like theres a story here someones neglected to tell me. Two,” another finger up, “Never ignore Fury. Ignore Fury and bad things happen. And three,” Clint holds up a third finger, “He says it’s about a mission, so I don't think you are forever banned. I hope not, you make missions easy for me. so come on, lets go. oh, put clothes on first. then lets go.” clint waves his hand in a ‘hurry up’ motion. 

Bucky rolls his eyes and slips out of the vent. He dresses quickly, including his standard four knives, and hops back into the vent to join Clint. They crawl through the ceilings, up and down, left and right until Clint stops. “We have to get out here, the air vents are blocked to the office Fury has in the tower.” 

“I wonder why.” Bucky ponders sarcastically. 

“It was one time and he still gets all fussy about it.” Clint whines as they drop to the floor. “Well, maybe fussy isn't the right word.” Clint continues as they walk to Furys office. “Upset maybe, perturbed.” The door opens in front of them.

“Try pissed.” Fury says from the door. 

“Oh, sorry sir.”Clint stands straighter while managing to wither under Furys one-eyed glare. Fury turns and strides back into his office and sits in his chair. Bucky and Clint follow and stand across the desk. 

“So.” Fury starts, looking at Bucky. “Have a nice vacation?” 

Bucky swallows. “Parts of it sir. Others not so much.” Bucky wouldn't normally call Fury ‘sir’, but he doesn't want to fuck things up further than it already has been. 

“What category does nearly killing Stark fall under?” Clints eyebrows jump at the question, but he remains silent.

Bucky looks down. “Bad, sir.”

“Mhm. And the hikers?” Fury asks. Clint turns his head to face Bucky now. 

“You know the answer to that.”

“I do, I want you to say it.” Fury orders.

“Good sir.” Bucky says with a little grin, just enough to show a fang. Clints eyebrows furrow. Bucky wonders if Clint knows he expresses himself so much. Natasha has probably told him. Fury sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“What is it you are expecting me to do here Mr. Barnes?” Fury asks Bucky. Wait. 

“Mr. Barnes?” 

“That is who you are named after isn't it?” Fury prompts.

“Well, yes, I guess so. I just never really considered that my whole name. Never really considered having a whole name.” Bucky answers.

“Mm. Well that’s what is written in your file, so deal with it.” Fury instructs.

“Yes sir.”

“Now, I repeat, what are you expecting me to do?” Fury stands and leans forward on the desk. 

“I'm expecting to be taken off missions sir, I don't know what else, I'm only familiar with Hydras form of punishments. That generally includes beatings, electrocution, torture of all kinds.” Bucky says, not quite looking at Fury.

“You expect that kind of punishment?”

“Well, yes sir.” Bucky is a little pissed off now. Why ask him these questions? Just beat him and get it over with. 

“Let me tell you whats going to happen to you. Nothing. I do not approve of what you did, but you are a valuable asset,” Bucky flinches a little at that word, “and taking you off missions would hurt us more than it would hurt you at this point. You will be confined to the tower when not on missions, but SHIELD does not torture its agents.” Fury sits back down. “Now that that is settled, I have a mission for you. We've found a Hydra base and want you, Barton, Romanov, and Stark to take it down.” A mission. Good, oh good. He was not being taken off missions, he wouldn't be beaten or electrocuted or sliced up, and it wasn't like he left the tower anyways. 

Fury takes out two files and hands one each to him and Clint. “This is the information you need, Stark and Romanov have already been briefed. You'll be heading out tomorrow morning. Now get out of my office.” Clint and Bucky nod and head out the door. They get a little way down the hallway when Clint stops them.   “Okay, what the hell happened while you guys were gone?” he asks.

“Ask Stark.” Bucky says and shoulders his way past Clint.

clint

 

Ask Stark? Oh boy. Clint watches as Bucky walks down the hallway toward the stairs. Clint takes a deep breath. To the lab he supposes. 

He reaches the lab and knocks on the door. He sees tony walk up and open then the door. 

“What can I do for you? More exploding arrows? Pizza arrows? You should have pizza arrows, come on.” Tony walks back into his lab and Clint follows. 

“No, not here about arrows. Though I would not object to pizza arrows No, I wanted to ask about what happened while you guys were gone. Bucky won’t tell me, said to ask you.” Tony sits down on a rolling stool. 

“Ah. That. Well, we went to the alps, where Bucky used to live, before Hydra. He went off his own for a while and when he came back so did reports of a bear attack.” Tony explains.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. Needless to say, Steve was pissed and he and Bucky got into a fight. Bucky took off back to the mountains and it was over two weeks before we found him again. By that point he had, well, you know how he got when he attacked Natasha?”

“Oh.” Clint repeats, and sits down on a stool and puts his head in his hands. “Oh.”

“Yeah. He didn't even remember Steve. Anyway, he knocked me out and took us to his camp. Went out the next day and got another camper and brought him back. Dead of course. Then he, well, um,” Tony twists his hands together. “something else happened, I tried to stop him, he nearly killed me, Steve had to put him under his control again, and now we’re all home.” 

“Tony, what happened? Did he, what did he do?” Clint asks softly.

“He force fed Steve. Bits of the camper I mean. Steve completely fought against him, but Bucky’s kinda strong you know?” 

“Oh god. I'm so sorry Tony. And he was going to kill you because tried to stop him?”

“Not very successfully but yeah. Thats about it. Steve managed to snap him out of it, make him remember. Bucky feels like shit about it, probably why he didn't want to talk about it.” tony explains. He stands up and goes back to his project, fiddling more than anything else.

Clint stays sitting on the stool, silent. A month and a half. They had only been gone a month and a half and things had gone to shit. God, Steve had been forced to eat human. Who knows what had been going through Buckys mind at the time, why he thought that was a good idea, but he apparently feels awful about it now. And tony had nearly died trying to help Steve. He should have been there. Clints not sure what he could have done, but he should have been there anyways. Well he can’t change it now, but he can try to help in anyway he can in anything they need now. 

“What can I do Tony? Can I do anything for you?” Clint offers.

“Yeah, get over here and hold this, Dum-E can’t keep still.” Tony requests. Well, demands. Not really what Clint had meant but this works too.


	14. Chair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky finds something on the mission and clint needs to stop watching bucky eat

The next morning he, Tony with his armor, Natasha and Bucky are in a quinjet on their way to the Hydra base they've been tasked to take over. Inside the jet is silent, he and Tony piloting and Bucky and Natasha sitting in the back. Bucky is sitting with his head down, not moving a muscle, his face tense and hands clenched. Natasha sits next to him, close enough to offer comfort but not close enough to touch. Clint looks back at them from time to time as he's piloting the jet, but neither of them move an inch through the whole flight.  
A few hours later they land in a clearing of a small patch of trees about a mile from the main entrance to the hydra base. They take a moment to get ready, Clint readying his quiver and bow while watching Bucky. Bucky is wearing his full outfit today. Leather jacket, black pants and boots, knee pads, ammo belt and harness for his Skorpion, more knife and gun holders on each thigh, and his mask and goggles. He was a formidable sight indeed, nearly everything covered in black save the terrifying metal arm. The problem Clint saw was that the mask covered buckys teeth, which he seemed to like to use in fights. Clint supposes he is deadly with or without them, and his claws are still usable. This would certainly be interesting. 

bucky

 

Bucky didn't want to use his teeth today, biting took time, took energy, and he would be much quicker using just his guns and knives. 

They started toward the Hydra base, Stark flying ahead to scout. After a few minutes he comes back and gives them the details of the base and the count of hydra agents he was able to pick up on his thermal scanner. Then stark flies ahead again to open the door for them. Well, blow the door up. Same thing in Starks mind Bucky guesses. Clint runs off and scrambles up a tree, securing a good sniping point before the agents begin swarming out the blown out door. Bucky start toward them with one of his guns, picking off one agent at a time. Natasha goes straight to hand to hand, keeping agents away from Bucky so he can focus on shooting. Stark flies overhead, blasting with his repulsers and sending his own small projectiles toward multiple targets at a time and arrows fly from Clints tree. Finally agents stop pouring out the door, apparently picking up on the fact that they are just running into a death trap. 

Bucky, Clint and Natasha creep into the base, Stark stays outside to pick off anyone who tries to run from any other exits. Bucky puts away his guns and pulls out one of the knives at his thigh, stalking into the base, not bothering to keep his footsteps quiet. He wants them to know he is here, wants a fight, wants chaos and blood. Clint and Natasha creep in behind him, letting Bucky be a target for agents to notice, letting him draw them out so the two assassins can pick them off from the shadows. And it works, agents swarm to apprehend Bucky, and while he could destroy them all on his own, its kind of nice to have backup. 

Bucky tears through agents with his knife and claws, twirling to avoid bullets and is deadly silent through it all. He hears his title shouted a few times, a warning that the Winter Soldier is here. A few even turn and run at the sight of him but get an arrow in the back for their cowardice. After this flow of agents taper off, Bucky splits off from Clint and Natasha to explore hallways on his own. He steps through the halls, checking each room he passes. In some he finds office workers, some more armed men, some quivering men and women in lab coats, and he kills them all. Then he reaches a room on a dead end and opens the door carefully, slowly stepping into the room. He freezes at the sight of what adorns the center of the room. 

A Chair. Bucky is frozen, fear creeping into his mind. Why is there a Chair here? He doesn't remember ever being here, was this set up for him now? Were they planning on taking him back? No, never. That will never happen. Then there is movement out of the corner of his eye. A man in a white coat is trying to sneak out the door. Bucky pivots on his heel and snatches the man by the neck with his metal hand and pulls him to the center of the room. He picks the scientist up and slams him into the chair, the man writhes beneath Buckys hand, scrabbling at Buckys arm and kicking his legs. Bucky doesn't move, just stares at the man through his goggles. 

“Why is there a Chair here?” Bucky questions, voice low and flat. 

“I don't know, please let me go, I didn't do anything!” the man whines. Ugh. Bucky hates whiners. 

“This chair, why is it here? Answer me!” Bucky demands. 

“For, for an asset, I don't know, please, I don't know anything!” the scientist blubbers.

“An asset? How did they plan on getting this asset? What is it?”

“I don't know! They just said there was a rogue asset and it needed to be brought in and reconditioned. I don't know anything about it, they didn't tell us anything, please, just let me go!” he cries. Bucky tilts his head and considers the scientist. He wasn't going to let him go, but there were many things he could do to him. He decides for now to confine the man in the chair. Bucky straps on the restraints meant for him, restraints the is no way the scientist could escape from, and turns and leaves. 

Bucky meets back up with Clint, Natasha and Tony at the entrance of the compound.

“Everybody get their jobs done?” Natasha asks the group. A round of nods.

“Uh, not to be nit-picky, but theres still a life signature in buckys quadrant. Did you miss somebody?” Stark says to Bucky. Bucky turns his head and glares at tony, effective even though he still has his goggles on. 

“That one is mine.” Bucky snaps. 

“Okay, got it, just checking.” Stark says, hands up. “Is there anything anybody found of importance?” 

“They have a chair. One of the chairs to control me. The man I left alive is a scientist who was working on the chair, he said its for a rogue asset that needs to be recaptured and reconditioned.” Bucky informs them. 

“Oh great. So they want you back.” Stark sighs. 

“Of course they do, he's a valuable asset, and he's causing a lot of damage.” Natasha replies. 

“Is there anything else we can get out of the guy? Not that i don't trust you Bucky, but Natasha’s good.” Clint pipes up. 

“You're welcome to him, just leave him alive and conscious for me.” Bucky shrugs. Natasha nods and they move back through the hallways toward the room with the chair. As they get closer, they can hear the man calling for help. Bucky just rolls his eyes. Natasha walks into the room and leaves the rest of them outside. It’s only five minutes before she walks out again. 

“You're right, he's an idiot, he knows nothing. Have at him.” she says. Bucky takes off his goggles and unclips his mask and sticks them in a pocket and stretches his jaw. It gets cramped in the mask after long periods of time. He purrs as he steps into the room, watching the scientist closely. The man starts crying again when he sees Bucky and begins struggling in the restraints. 

“Please, I told you, I don't know anything!” he pleads. 

“And that means you're only good for one thing now.” Bucky tells him as he steps up to him. He leans down next to the mans ear, “You're only food. I'm going to eat you alive and it’s going to hurt. It’s a good thing you're not useful to them, it means now you're useful to me.” The man sobs harder and Bucky grins then licks the mans throat, tasting the fear in his sweat. The man whimpers. 

clint

 

He really needs to stop watching. Tony has gone back to the jet and Natasha is leaning on the wall of the hallway, but clint stands in the doorway, watching as Bucky runs his tongue over the scientists neck. Bucky tears off the mans sleeve then bites down into the flesh of his arm. Blood runs down his skin then gushes when Bucky rips out a mouthful of flesh. He swallows and bites off another chunk. The scientist is screaming, begging Bucky to stop, for someone to help, pleading for his life. But Bucky just continues his feast, tearing off bites of the mans arm. Bucky must hit a major artery or vein because blood begins spurting out of the mans arm and his struggles begin to weaken. Blood splashes onto buckys chest but he ignores it, finishing the flesh of the arm. The man is dead now, blood flow slowing, then stopping. Then Bucky does something clint has not seen him do before; he snaps the radius and ulna in half and pulls the lower arm off the rest of the body. Te then attacks the bones, gnawing on them and sucking at the marrow. He finishes this then moves back to the body, ripping the scientists shirt open and starting on his chest. When Bucky gets down to the bones he does the same with the ribs, snapping them chewing on the broken ends. Bucky's making low grumbling sounds, not quite purring but not growling either. Now that Bucky has ripped open the ribcage he sticks his hands in the chest cavity and moves the organs around, pulling out a lung and dropping it to the floor, then grabbing the heart. He rips the muscle from the chest and eats it slowly, blood pouring out over buckys face and dripping to the floor. Once he finishes the heart Bucky straightens up. Blood still trickles out the corner of his mouth and Clint bets its going to take forever to clean the metal arm. Buckys eyes meet Clints. 

“You been watching the whole time?” Bucky asks. Clint nods. “Why.” Clint shrugs. “Okay then. Let’s go.” Clint nods again and walks with Bucky out the door. Natasha raises an eyebrow at the sight of Bucky, but doesn't say anything. The three make their way back through the hallways and toward the quinjet. The back of the small plane is already open and they walk in. Tony is out of his armor and sitting in the pilots seat. He turns as he hears them walk in and jumps when he sees Bucky.

“Holy shit that is a lot of blood. Fuck, um, I’ll just, come on Clint, time to fly the plane.” Clint walks toward the front of the quinjet and sits himself in the co-pilots seat.


	15. grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tony has some questions for bucky and bucky brings someone home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos if you can see the really big once upon a time reference.

bucky

 

Bucky is looking forward to a shower, the drying blood on his face and under his jacket is slightly itchy. He’ll use the showers in the gym to avoid tracking blood into his and Steves apartment. The flight isn't long, and soon enough they land on the landing pad on top of the Tower. he hops out of the plane and starts toward the elevators. 

“Uh uh. No, you are not tracking blood all over my tower, you know how long it'll take to clean that all up?” Stark says, stopping him before he can get very far. “I have a shower up here for when I come in from long flights, you can use that. I've got some standard SHIELD issue clothes that'll fit you as well, you can put your uniform thingy in the hamper in the bathroom, I’ll make sure it gets back to you.” he instructs and directs him toward the shower and gives him the clothes. Bucky nods and takes the clothes, keeping his gaze down. He doesn't want to make eye contact with Stark, especially when he's covered in blood; he's still…ashamed of what he did to him. He doesn't know why stark is being so nice to him, Bucky nearly killed him! Would've killed him, given another minute. When Bucky had attacked Natasha, Stark had been ready to lock him up and throw away the key, but not when its his own life? Stark is strange to say the least. 

Bucky takes his shower, taking extra time to scrub his arm, though he’ll still need to do a thorough cleaning when he gets back to his floor, and changes into the SHIELD issue clothing- a tight black shirt and black sweatpants- and steps out of the bathroom. Clint and Natasha have left, but Stark is behind the bar with a glass in his hand. He points at Bucky and Bucky freezes.

“So, you. We need to talk.” Stark says. Bucky closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. 

“Okay.” he mutters.

“First off, calm down, theres no firing squad around the corner. We just need to talk about what happened on the mountain, I want to know what was going on in that head of yours, see if we can make sure it doesn't happen again. So. What happened?” Stark leans his elbows on the bar as he talks, staring intently at Bucky. Bucky tries to look at him, but can’t, so keeps his head bowed, his wet hair a curtain across his face.

“I was angry, I felt abandoned, I thought Steve didn't want me anymore, and that hurt. I've said before, that mindset is simpler than this one, so things don't hurt so much. And going back to that mindset, I forgot all of this, forgot Steve. I went back to when I was just the creature, because that hurts less.” Bucky says softly. 

“And why didn't you just kill Steve and I, when you first found us?”

“Same reason I didn't kill Steve when Hydra sent me after him, I like the way he smells. You because he asked me not to.”

Starks voice gets quieter now, “Why, why'd you make Steve…”

“Because I was taking care of him. In the creatures mind, in my mind, he's skinny and weak and clearly cant look out for himself, so needs to be protected and fed and taken care of. It’s just a more extreme version of what I do here. I make sure he eats, I make sure he safe and well looked after and takes care of himself. He doesn't really need the help, but its what I need to do.” Bucky explains.

“But we had food!” Stark tries to protest.

“Not real food, not to me, especially not in that mindset.” Bucky corrects.

Stark stands up straight again and takes a swig from his drink. “You're a little messed up, you know that?”

“By your standards maybe. Well, no, in mine too. Only a messed up lyudoyed would have let you live, would be in this tower, could be surrounded by so many people and not try to kill them all. You're lucky I'm messed up.” Bucky retorts.

“Fair enough. Alright, good enough for me, you can go now.” Stark says with a flip of his hand and another sip of his drink. Bucky huffs, what even is this man?

 

Bucky gets back to their floor and Steve is asleep on the couch, sitting up with a sketchbook in his hand. Bucky smiles and walks over, gently pulling the sketchbook from Steves hands and placing it on the table before scooping Steve up in his arms and carrying him to the bed. He lay Steve down and turns to go but a small hand catches his metal one.

“Stay.” comes the sleepy mumble. Bucky considers for a moment then slides into bed next to Steve. He curls himself around the small man and Steve snuggles back into his arms. Bucky sticks his nose into the back of steves neck and sighs. This is good.

steve

 

When Steve wakes up Bucky is sitting on the bed with a white rabbit in his lap. “You are not eating that in here.” he grumbles. 

“Of course not, this is Grace, she's from the bunny sanctuary.” Bucky tells him. 

“Grace?”

“Yeah, Grace. Tony had her named Paige, but she doesn't seem like a Paige to me.” Bucky says, petting the rabbit. 

“So we have a pet rabbit now?” Steve asks incredulously. 

“If, if thats okay, she can stay in the sanctuary if you want, but I thought it'd be nice having her around. She's potty trained too, she won't make a mess.” Bucky insists. Steve huffs a laugh and smiles.

“Yeah, alright, we can keep the rabbit.” Steve consents.

“Grace.” Bucky reminds him.

“We can keep Grace.” Steve corrects himself. Bucky grins and continues to pet Grace. Steve sits up and leans against the headboard and Bucky places the rabbit in his lap. “Hello Grace.” he says, running his hand over Graces back. Her fur is soft and warm, and its nice under his cold fingers. Bucky shifts and the rabbit perks up, looks over at him, then hops back into the lyudoyeds lap. Bucky smiles and continues to pet Grace, purring. 

bucky

 

Bucky spends the next few hours setting up a hutch for Grace in their living room while Steve watches over her. He sets up baby gates on the doorways from the living room so she’d be confined to the one room. He brings food, a water bottle, hay, and a few toys from the sanctuary so grace will have what she needs. She probably has a little more than what she needs, but Bucky’s never had a pet before and wants to do well. Unless he counts Steve, and its debatable on how well he's done with him. But then thats sort of cheating, counting Steve, he can take care of himself. Mostly. 

When Bucky's finished Graces home, he goes back to the bedroom and lifts her from Steves lap and carries her back out to the living room. Bucky sets Grace down in her hutch and she sniffs around a bit before going to her hay. “There you go Grace. I'm sure Snowball will come over for playdates too if you like. Or we can go over to her place, whichever Clint likes. But I think you'll be happy here. At least, I hope you will be. Steve is here to help, so hopefully I won’t screw up too bad.” Bucky hears a step behind him.

“You won’t screw up, you'll be fine, Grace’ll be fine, you'll be a great rabbit Papa.” Steve assures him. 

“Papa?” Bucky asks, twisting around to look at Steve with an eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, papa. You seem more like a Papa than a Dad.” Steve decides. Bucky shrugs. Okay then. Hopefully this goes well and he'll be a good rabbit…Papa. Better than owner, he doesn't want to own Grace, just take care of her, make sure she's happy, he supposes like a Papa. 

“Okay.” he consents. Graces Papa he shall be. “What are you then?” he asks Steve.

“I’ll be Uncle Steve. Always wanted to be an uncle.” he says. Okay. Papa Bucky and Uncle Steve.

A little while later theres a knock at the door and Clints voice calls out, “I brought Snowball!” Bucky sets Grace down from where she’d been sitting in his lap and lets Clint in. He's got a plastic crate with a wire door and towels lining the inside, and snuggled into the towels is Snowball. She lifts her head and sees Bucky and he can swear she's glaring at him. 

“I know you don't like me,” he tells the rabbit, “but you're here to play with another bunny, not me, so quit your glaring.” Snowball narrows her eyes then looks away from him. “Thank you.”

“Can you actually talk to her, or are you having a one-sided conversation?” Clint looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Probably just a one-sided conversation, but I think she understands me.” Bucky answers. 

“Okay.” Clint accepts, shrugging. They move to the living room, just stepping over the gate in lieu of actually opening it. Bucky sits next to the hutch near Grace and Clint sits on the floor across from him. He puts down the crate and opens it up, letting Snowball creep out, sniffing the air. She sees Grace and her ears perk up and she walks over to the other rabbit. They sniff one another then start hopping around each other, playing. Clint looks up at Bucky, “Hows this gonna work with, you know, what you eat?”

“I always eat in the kitchen, and She’ll never see them, and I’ll feel like shit about it occasionally but it'll be nice having her around, so I think its worth it. At least, i hope so. And if it doesn't work out she can just go back to the sanctuary.” Bucky says, watching the two rabbits. They are very similar, both being white rabbits, but Bucky can smell the difference between the two, and Grace is slightly smaller. Clint apparently can’t quite tell the difference though. 

“Uh, okay, this is horrible, but can you tell which is which?” Bucky just smiles.

“This one is Grace,” he points to Grace, “and thats Snowball. Snowball is a little bit bigger.” Clint nods

“Okay, thanks. I'm probably going to need you to remind me, they're so similar. Really, you can tell just by that little tiny size difference?”

Bucky shrugs, “That and I can smell the difference.” Clint sighs.

“Of course you can.” Clint smiles, shaking his head.


	16. thor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky receives a gift and steve threatens a god. well, sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit to infestation for supplying the idea for the pig!

It’s nice having Grace, it gives Bucky more to do. Every day he changes her bedding, gives her fresh food and hay, fills her water bottle. Once a week he switches out the toys so she won't get bored, and Steve gives her small bits of fruits and vegetables whenever they are available (she particularly likes green beans). 

Steve enjoys sketching her. He’ll go sit in the living room and just watch her, drawing her poses and little detailed snippets of her movements. And Bucky of course like watching Steve draw, when he’ll allow it. There are times when Steve refuses to draw if someone is watching him. Which is fair, there are things Bucky would rather keep to himself as well. Like his blue jacket. He'd like that to just be his, and not have to share it. Bucky doesn't think anyone would quite understand why he's keeping it in the first place. Anyone else would see the blood and think of Buckys failure, instead of seeing a symbol of his home. But thats why he’ll keep it to himself, keep it hidden. Only Clint would have the means to find it, and he's not so stupid as to dig through Buckys territory. Wake him up in it sure, but you cant have Clint without some level of insanity. Clint and insane are synonymous really. Who else but a crazy person would willingly watch a lyudoyed feed, then would still be friendly with them? Who else would steal a rabbit we  
from a monster but then bring said rabbit over for playdates? However Bucky is grateful for Clints insanity, he gained a good friend because of it. 

—————————————

 

Theres…a pig. A pig in the rabbit room. Theres a note stuck to the wall that says ‘A Gift’ in extremely fancy handwriting. What. What does that even mean. Given its in the Rabbit Room Bucky can only assume its for him to eat, but from who? And why? And how the hell did they get it up here? Is it poisoned? Buckys not sure how someone would poison a live pig without killing it, but its a possibility. 

Bucky feels bad for the pig because it has no food or water, so he goes back to his floor and grabs an apple and a bowl of water. The pig eats the apple quickly and Bucky thinks more water gets on the floor than in its mouth. 

Buckys pocket vibrates and he jumps into the air. He keeps forgetting he has a phone. He pulls it out of his pocket and answers it. “Hello?”

“Bucky! You have your phone on you, awesome. How do you like your gift?” Of course its from Stark.

“Why a pig?” Bucky asks.

“Wow, no gratitude. Well, its bigger than a rabbit so it'll last longer, and I've heard they taste the same as human, which is, you know, ew, but good for you! Well, its not actually from me, Thor’s here and he heard about you and decided to bring you something.”

“Who the hell is Thor?”

“Oh, he's an alien prince slash god that stops by occasionally, and he loves food. Seriously, he’ll eat all your pop tarts.” Tony explains.

“A god.” Bucky questions in a tone of disbelief.

“Well, sort of.”

“And he brought me a pig?” 

“Apparently.” Tony confirms. What the hell. An alien brings him a pig? But he's hungry, and it can’t stay here, so he might as well.

“Theres an empty room next to the rabbit room, can I take the pig there? I don't want to scare the rabbits, and I'm not taking it to our floor. Actually, uh, any way you can send up an ice box as well?” Bucky requests.

“Yeah, sure, why not. Take the room and I’ll have one sent up pronto. And then Thor’s on the communal floor with Clint and Natasha, I’ll be heading up when I'm finished and Bruce’ll be here soon, so do what you do then head over there. Be polite, remember Thor can smash even you to bits. Okay, bye.” and Stark hangs up

“Wait, Stark! Oh ugh.” Bucky grumbles and shoves his phone back into his pocket and turns back toward the pig. “Well, let’s go.” The pig looks at him and snorts. Bucky sighs. This is going to be fun. He goes and opens the door to the next room so he can just carry the pig straight in then goes back and picks the pig up, both arms hooked beneath its belly. It’s big, and awkward to carry, but the pig doesn't struggle so its fairly easy to carry it into the next room. He plops it down and straightens up. Now how to kill it… its too big to snap it neck cleanly, and cutting its throat would get far too much blood everywhere. Shooting it would probably work. Bucky pulls out the small gun he keeps on him and shoots the pig between the eyes. The pig gives a short squeal and thunks to the floor, blood trickling from the hole in its head. It smells good. Really good. Not near as good as human prey, but better than rabbits. Bucky crouches down on the floor and bites into the pigs shoulder. Hot meat fills his mouth, and the taste! It is close to human. Milder, not as rich, but still fantastic. 

Bucky growls his pleasure and attacks the pig more voraciously. He tears bites from the shoulder and swallows them whole, eager to eat as much as he can. He eats the entire shoulder and a portion of the side before he is full, really full, more than he ever is with rabbits. What he wants to do now is go to the vents and sleep, but he has to meet Thor, so he goes to their floor, changes, washes his face and hands, then makes his way to the communal floor. 

He hears booming laughter through the door to the living room and braces himself for the noise. After a deep breath he pushes the door open and steps inside. He sees Clint and Natasha on the couch in front of him playing checkers. Tony is, of course, behind the bar with a drink in his hand an a very large man with long blond hair leaning on the front of the bar seems to be the source of the laughter. He turns toward Bucky as he approaches and smiles broadly. 

“You must be the lyudoyed! I must say, it is very impressive to see one of your kind so docile.” the man who must be Thor says, his voice deep and booming. Bucky has to work not to snarl at being called docile; this man brought him food, he can’t be rude or aggressive. 

“You know about lyudoyeds?” Most people have never heard of the wendigo cousin. 

“Well yes, I know of all Midgardian peoples, even the less well known. I hope you found the pig to your liking?” Thor asks.

“Yes, I… I wouldn't have thought about it, but it was really good. Thank you. Why, uh, why'd you bring it for me?”

“Well it would be rude to come and not bring something for the first lyudoyed that i would speak with.” Thor explains.

“Oh. Well, I, I don't have anything for you, unless you like rabbits?” Bucky offers. He would normally never offer to part with his prey, but Thor had brought him a gift, and he had nothing else to offer in return. 

“A most generous offer that I highly appreciate, but I shall not part you with what is yours.” Thor replies. Bucky nods. Good. “And where is your Deliciae? I would quite like to meet the man who freed you from Hydras control.”

Now Bucky does snarl a little, not only at Thor but Tony and Clint as well. “Who told you about Steve?” he demands.

“My apologies, your friends did not betray your trust. Heimdall told me of you, and of Steven. He sees all and keeps an eye on your realm and my friends for me.” Thor raises his hands in a placating gesture. Bucky eyes him, looking for deception, but his face and heart say truth, so he nods to Tony and Clint as an apology. Tony waves a hand and Clint shrugs nonchalantly. 

“Okay, I’ll go get Steve.” Bucky nods. 

“Excellent!" Thor smiles widely. Bucky goes to his and Steves floor and knocks on the door to Steves art studio door.

“Come on in.” Steve calls out. Bucky steps inside but does not go to far into the room, he wants the room to stay Steves, and for Steve to feel comfortable and un-invaded. 

“Theres an alien god prince here that wants to meet you.” Bucky says.

“Alien god prince?” Steve twists around in his chair and raises an eyebrow at Bucky.

“Well, he's from another planet, he was worshipped as a god, and he's a prince. So, alien god prince. And he brought me a pig.” Bucky explains. 

“It had better not be in the kitchen." Steve warns. 

“It’s not, I promise. Now come on, Thors eager to meet you.” Bucky beckons. 

“His name is Thor?” Steve asks as they walk to the communal floor, “As in the Norse god of thunder?”

Bucky shrugs. “I don't really know much about human gods and such.”

“Do lyudoyeds have gods?” Steve asks him.

“No. At least, not us. Each group is fairly isolated, so there may be other lyudoyeds that have different beliefs.” Bucky answers. 

“Huh.” They're quiet the rest of the way to the communal floor living room, not uncomfortably, just quiet. 

“Ah, Bucky! You have returned!” Thor exclaims when they walk in. “And you brought Steven!”

“Yeah, I said I would.” Bucky replies.

“Hello, I'm Steve.” Steve holds out his hand for Thor to shake. Thor grips his entire arm and shakes. Bucky tenses a little at the nearly aggressive contact but calms when Thor lets go.

“Greetings Steven, I am Thor Odinson, it is a pleasure to meet you. You have done fine work with this lyudoyed, I have never seen one so tame.” Thor complements. Well, thinks he complements. Bucky tenses again, ready to defend himself, but before he can Steve speaks up.

“Tame? What like he's my pet? Bucky isn't something to tame, he's his own person and he can act however he wishes. If that includes being polite it doesn't mean I've done anything to ‘tame’ him, just means he has fuckin manners. I'm not his keeper, most times its the other way around, so you can go shove your ‘fine work’!” Steve declares, feet set firmly and chest puffed out, as if if this came to blows he would have a chance. 

“My apologies again, I meant no insult. I have just never heard of a lyudoyed being so…conversational. I truly only meant to complement. I clearly have misjudged him.” Thor turns to Bucky. “I hope you will forgive my insults.” 

Bucky nods slowly. “You are forgiven. You did bring me food.”

Thor smiles. “Indeed. Will you forgive me Steven?" 

“Only because Bucky does.” Steve says.

“I will take it." Thor accepts. 

“Steve, get over here and tell Clint to stop cheating on checkers.” Natasha calls out.

“What,” Clint squawks, “I would never!” Steve laughs and wanders over. 

Bucky turns toward Thor again. “Have you met other lyudoyeds?"

Thor nods. “I have met many over my years, though most were in battle. However I met one family once, it was a mother and two small children, she wouldn't attack, she simply watched me. I do not know why.” Bucky looks Thor up and down.

“Because you are clearly not easy prey, not to a lone lyudoyed, especially one with children, and it would be too risky to attack by herself and leave her children unguarded. You were just lucky the father wasn't sneaking up behind you.” Bucky explains.

“So had there been more, I likely would have been attacked?” Thor inquires.

“Definitely. You're either big prey that could feed a family or a threat. But she was smart not to attack you, some still would have. Maybe if it was just her she might have, but with children she couldn't take that chance.”

Thor frowns. “So your kind are very protective of your young?”

“Of course, we’re protective, possessive, of anything we consider ours.”

“And is Steve yours?” Thor asks.

Bucky narrows his eyes. “Yes.”

“I mean no harm, I am simply curious. I am still learning of human culture and yours fascinates me as well.” Thor placates. “Tell me to stop asking questions and I will.”

“I think thats enough questions for now.” Bucky replies.

“Aw, Bucky, you gotta ruin all the fun. I hear you didn't let Brucie ask any questions either, you're so boring.” Stark whines from behind the bar. Bucky rolls his eyes and tilts his head toward Tony.

“Just because I lead a more private life than you does not mean I'm boring.” Bucky retorts.

“Yes it does. Boring boring boring.” Stark repeats. 

“And I told Bruce he could ask you questions about me.” Bucky tells him.

“Yes, but Bruce is far too polite to talk about someone behind their back, even if given permission, he's boring too. Speaking of Bruce, he should have been here by now.” Tony pouts.

“Bruce is coming?” Clint pipes up from the couch where it is now he and Steve playing. 

“Yeah, he said he would be.” Tony confirms. Then theres a knock at the living room door. “Come on in brucie!” Tony calls out. Bruce opens the door and slowly walks in, peering around himself. 

“Hello, wow, everyones here. Um, oh, I don't think I've met you, I'm Doctor Bruce Banner.” Bruce turns to Steve, holding his hand out. Steve shakes it.

“I'm Steve Rogers. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Steve smiles.

“And you as well.” Bruce responds. “And Bucky, it’s good to see you.”

“What about meeeee?” Stark wails. Bruce laughs.

“And of course its great to see you as well tony. How have you been?” Tony walks out from behind the bar and drapes an arm around Bruces shoulders. 

“I've been well my sciencey friend. Come, to the lab!” Tony cries, and steers Bruce toward the elevators.

“Oh, okay. Bye everybody.” Bruce lets himself be led to Tonys lab. Bucky and Thor walk over to the couch where Steve is kicking clints ass at checkers. 

“This isn't fair! I'm a deadly assassin, I should be winning!” Clint despairs. 

“I have long been known as a strategic genius thank you very much.” Steve declares, taking another of Clints pieces. Clint promptly wails. 

“Oh grow up Clint.” Natasha says, thwacking Clint in the shoulder. 

“But it’s far too much fun being childish.” he replies. 

“Children don't win checker games.” Steve informs clint. 

“Maybe, but they get to cry about it.” Clint gets another piece taken and fists his hands in his hair. “And I'm going to cry about it.” 

Thor stays for the rest of the day, taking turns at checkers, chatting, and eating a lot of pop tarts, but at the end of the day leaves to see his girlfriend in New Mexico. When Thor leaves he and Steve are on good terms, all forgiven and having bonded over a few games of checkers. Once he's left Clint and Natasha go to bed, leaving Steve and Bucky on the couch. 

"We should get back to check on Grace.” Steve says. Bucky nods and stands. 

“You do that, I'm gonna see if the ice box arrived. I hope so, I hate the smell of rotting meat, it’s just such a waste." Bucky walks with Steve to the elevators and gets off with him, then They go their separate ways. Bucky walks to the room he had left the pig and there was indeed a large icebox tucked against the back wall. The pig was nowhere to be seen, so Bucky lifts the lid of the box and looks inside. The pig is there and he's a little miffed that someone else touched his food, but understands the necessity of it. Satisfied the pig wont spoil, Bucky makes his way to their room and slips in. Steve is not asleep yet so he changes quickly then gives a little wave as a ‘goodnight’. Steve waves back and Bucky jumps into the vents and curls up under his blanket, full, warm, and happy.


	17. coulson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky eats bacon and coulson is nosey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its been a while. I've not got a lot written and I've got a writing class I'm doing, so I've spending a lot of time on that. and I'm not feeling very inspired. I'm gonna keep writing, but it may not be the same quality.

“But I should go!” 

“No, and my decision is final.” 

Another hydra base had been found, one that held key information about the heads of Hydra. Fury had decided that Bucky would not be going as there would be a greater chance of someone knowing his words. Bucky thinks this is unfair and they would be much more efficient team with him there, but Fury wont budge. Bucky bares his teeth in frustration. “Fine.” he hisses, and stalks out of the office. 

“Whats wrong?” asks Clint as Bucky walks past him. 

“I'm not going.” Bucky growls.

“What?” Clint stands from the chair he's sitting in. “Why not?”

“Too risky.” 

“What, for you? Yeah right.” Clint scoffs.

“No, for you. There’s a higher chance there that someone will know my words, and use that to their advantage.” Bucky sighs. 

“Oh. Well, I still think you should come.” Clint says. 

“Me too, but good luck convincing Fury.” 

“Point. Well, its gonna suck without you.” Clint tells him. 

“Thanks, makes me feel so much better.” Bucky drawls. 

“I live to serve.”

An hour later Clint, Natasha, Tony, and a handful of SHIELD agents load into a quinjet and take off. Bucky watches them go and glowers. Steve walks up next to him and leans on his shoulder. 

“I'm sorry you cant go.” Steve mumbles. 

“Thats alright. Just means we can pillage the communal floor kitchen and not be disturbed.”

"What could you possibly want in that kitchen?” Steve looks up at him with a skeptical look on his face. 

“I saw bacon.” Bucky nods. 

“You want to cook bacon?” 

Buckys face screws up. “Ew, no, I want to eat the raw bacon.” 

“Oh, gross. Well leave a few pieces for me.” Steve requests.

“Sure. Shall we?” Bucky asks, holding out an arm.

Steve slaps it away. "I am not holding your arm.”

“Well, fine. Be that way.” Bucky mock grumps. 

They head down to communal floor and Steve opens the fridge and pulls out the bacon. He peels a few strips from the top of the package and tosses the rest at Bucky. He catches it and stands at the kitchen table. Bucky watches Steve as he pulls out a pan and sets it on the stove and wait for it to heat up. Bucky pulls out a piece of bacon. He sniffs it before taking a bite off the end. It’s good. Not as good as if it were fresh, but for cold meat, it’s good. He stuffs the rest of the piece in his mouth. Bucky's eaten half the package by the time Steve comes and sits at the table with his own bacon. His nasty burnt ruined bacon. He must be making a face because Steve laughs. 

“It’s good okay? You eat yours and I’ll eat mine.” Steve chuckles. Bucky makes a face but nods.

“Fine, eat your burnt nasty meat.” Steve just rolls his eyes and continues to eat his own food while Bucky continues stuffing pieces of raw bacon into his mouth. Apparently Bucky was wrong about being alone, because a shortish average looking man in a suit walks into the dining room. Bucky lifts his head and is fully aware he has half a strip of raw bacon hanging out of his mouth, but he bares his teeth anyway in a mild threat. The man stops. 

“Mr. Barnes?” he asks. Bucky spits out the bacon.

“What.” he growls.

“My name is Agent Phil Coulson. I’d like to speak to you.” the man says. 

“Why.” Bucky huffs. He just wants to keep eating his bacon.

“I’d like to discuss missions with you, and how they will go in the future.” the man, ‘Agent Coulson’ apparently, says. Bucky narrows his eyes and bares his teeth.

“What do you mean?” Bucky asks, voice low and dangerous. 

“Relax, you are still doing missions, I just need more correspondence. I get no reports from you and I need to know more about whats going on.” Coulson explains.

“What do you know about my missions? About what I do?” Bucky asks slowly. 

“Not as much as I want. I have the clearance theres just no paperwork for me to read.” Coulson clarifies.

“But what. Do. You. Know.” Bucky snarls. Agent Coulson raises an eyebrow. 

“I know you get sent on an awful lot of missions for someone who isn't a SHIELD agent, let alone human. I know something happens on those missions Fury doesn't want anybody knowing about, and that I need to know what. I know theres an awful lot of cleanup that happens after your missions and I know one of my best agents keeps requesting missions with you.” Coulson lists. Bucky nods. 

“What do you know about me?” Bucky puts another piece of bacon in his mouth.

“I think I'm the one that should be asking the questions here.” Coulson tells Bucky. 

“And yet here I am, asking questions.” Coulson frowns. 

“You're not human, though I don't know what you are; you eat raw meat- the rabbits that get delivered, I know you are very attached to Mr. Rogers, I love your name by the way,” Steve huffs in annoyance and rolls his eyes. “and I know that Tony Stark takes a particular interest in you. I know you used to be Hydra, I know you have the same name as the Howling Commandoes second in command,” Bucky smirks a little, “and I know that I know next to nothing about you and that makes me very uncomfortable. I'm one of the good guys here, you don't need to conceal information from me.” Coulson says. Bucky has a little grin on his face.

“I'm not concealing information, Fury is. Talk to him about this.” Bucky growls. 

“Bucky.” Steve scolds. 

“What? It’s not my job to give him information, how do i know if he really has ‘clearance’. He could be lying.” Bucky defends himself. 

“You don't have to be mean about it.” Steve insists. 

“I'm not being mean, I'm being…”

“Aggressive, stand-offish, defensive, dismissive.” Steve lists.

“Yes, but none of those are mean.” Bucky point out.

“They can be interpreted as mean.” Steve says. Bucky huffs and continues eating his bacon. 

Coulson clears his throat, Steve and Bucky turn to face him. “So you're not going tell me about anything?”

“No” Bucky decides.

“I could make you.” Coulson says calmly.

Bucky snarls, mouth open baring all his teeth, stepping toward Coulson threateningly. Steve stands quickly and grabs buckys arm. “Okay,” Steve warns. “bad idea to threaten, won’t work out for you. Easy Bucky.” Bucky growls but stops his advance. Coulson looks unfazed by Buckys display. Bucky snaps his head up suddenly.

“They're back.” then the doors open and Stark walks into the room. 

“Agent! You're here! Bucky, you're all snarly. Why.” Tony walks over to the bar. 

“Agent Coulson is trying to get Bucky to tell him about missions and threatened him, Bucky doesn't like being threatened.” Steve explains.

“Ah, yeah, threatening this guy is not good. Turns into torn up faces.” Tony agrees.

“I have never torn up a face.” Bucky protests. Tony raises an eyebrow. “While you've known me.” Bucky amends 

“While I've known you. See, thats not comforting.” Tony says, pointing at Bucky. Bucky just shrugs. Clint and Natasha walk in. 

“Coulson!” Clint calls out. “It’s good to see you sir, what are you doing here?”

“I'm trying to get more information about Mr. Barnes’ missions.” Coulson tells clint, not taking his eyes off Bucky and Steve.

“Oh, yeah, you're gonna have to go through Fury about that one sir.” Clint says apologetically.

“Yes, I'm seeing that. How did your mission go Mr. Barton?” Coulson redirects his line of questioning.

“It went well sir. We got a lot of information.” He turns to Bucky, “You were right, they do want you back and Fury was right, there were Winter Soldier handlers there waiting for you, it was probably good you didn't go.” Bucky huffs. “I know, its awful, but there will be more missions.” Clint claps Bucky on the back, and gets a glare in return. “So yeah, we got locations for big Hydra bases, and a few names for higher ups in Hydra. We've made good progress. I'm really sorry you couldn't come Bucky.” Clint offered. Bucky nods and sighs. He turns to Steve. 

“I'm gonna go eat, there’s still some pig left.” he grunts, then walks out of the room.

steve

 

Steve watches Bucky go and turns to Agent Coulson. “Why'd you have to threaten him like that huh?” he demands. Coulson blinks.

“Whoa, you threatened him sir?” Clint interjects. “Not a good plan.”

“So I've been told.” Agent Coulson sighs. “I'm going to go call to Fury, I want to know whats going on.” then he leaves as well, pulling out his phone as he goes.

Steve exhales hard and sits back down. “I hate it when people only acknowledge me because of my name.”

“Agent is a huge fan of Captain America, I take it he said something?” Tony asks.

“Yeah. In the middle of questioning Bucky.” Steve tells him.

“Ah yes, good ol’ agent, getting in the middle of everything. He threatened to taze me once.” Tony complained.

“I'm sure you would have deserved it.” Steve guesses.

“I was actually being very civil, he was just being unreasonable.” Tony protests. 

“Mhm.” Steve raises an eyebrow, but doesn't make any further argument.


	18. new handler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky gets a new handler and gives steve lots of cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry its been a while guys, inspiration has not been hitting me. I'm still writing, just slower.

bucky

 

Bucky gnaws on a femur of the pig. He has an idea. He doesn't like it, its possibly stupid, but it may be the only way he can go on these ‘high risk’ missions. If he's already under the influence of the words, no one else can take control of him, so if he lets Clint take control… then he can help, he can still go, and there wouldn't be any danger of him turning on his friends. Because they are. His friends, that is. Clint, Natasha and Tony. They're his friends and he wants to protect them. Has to protect whats his. Decision made Bucky tosses down the chewed up bone and pulls out his phone.

B- can you meet me at the bunny sanctuary? wanna talk.

CB- sure. meet you there.

Bucky makes his way to the sanctuary, nervous. He gets there before Clint so sits against the wall and lets the rabbits hop around him, little noses twitching as they sniff him. Clint gets there after a few minutes and sits beside him. 

“So. Whats up.” he inquires as he plops down. Bucky pulls out his little sketchbook and pencil and begins writing. Clint watches him, curious but quiet. When Bucky finishes he hands the paper to Clint.   
“Whats this?” Clints asks and he takes the paper.

“This, is the list of words that will give you control of me.” Bucky explains. 

Clint stares at Bucky. “Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because if you have control of me, no one else can. This way I can go on the missions that may have Winter Soldier handlers without worrying about them being able to control me. This way I cant hurt you.” Bucky answers. 

Clint looks down at the paper. “You trust me with this?”

Bucky nods. “I do.”

“Alright. You sure this’ll work?” Clint asks. Bucky just nods. “Okay. Well, next mission is in two days, I guess well see how it works. I’ll go talk to Fury. I won’t give him the paper, I promise.” Clint stands and walks out of the room. Bucky watches him go, gut twisting. Was this a good idea? Clint said he wouldn't show Fury the words, but what if Fury makes him? No, he needs to stop worrying. Clint wont give his words to anybody.

——————————

 

Two days later Bucky and Clint are in the quinjet before anyone else. Clint looks nervous. “Calm down.” Bucky tells him. “Nothing bad is gonna happen.”

“But it could.” clint worries. “I could mess up and tell you to do something wrong and get you hurt and-”

“Clint, everything will be fine. Just talk to me like I'm an agent under your command, that’s all this is. I'm just under your command.” Bucky soothes. 

“But-” Clint starts.

“No, everything will be fine.” he assures Clint. Clint still looks stressed but takes a deep breath and nods.

“Alright, here we go. Desiderans. Rubiginem, decem et septum, mane, caminus, novem, benigne, donec, unum, suspendisse car.”

The creature shudders. Its eyes snap open and its gaze falls on the handler. “Ready to comply.” The handler looks nervous.

“Yeah, okay, alright. Come on, lets go get the others.” The handler- Clint, the creature remembers- commands. The creature follows the handler off the small plane to two people waiting outside, Natasha and Stark, and stands next to Clint. 

“Did it work?” Stark asks. The handler nods. “Okay, lets go then.” They load back up onto the quinjet, along with three other SHIELD agents, the creature trailing after its handler. Stark turns to face everyone. “So, plan of attack. You go in as quietly as possible, I’ll stay at the jet and be support because I'm apparently incapable of being quiet. Murray, you'll go with Barton and Barnes, Cobb and Hansen, you're with Romanov.” Murray looks nervous, glancing from the creature to Cobb and Hansen while they refuse to meet his gaze. The creature takes satisfaction from the mans fear and smirks, baring a tooth next time Murray's gaze falls on him. Murray's face pales and he looks at Stark frantically. Stark just snickers. “Each team will be given a section of the base to search. We don't have an official map, so you're going to have to make it up a bit as you go along. Once the base has been cleared of agents, and we’re only talking agents with guns and such, no scientists or tech workers are getting shot unless completely necessary, got it?” Stark looks around at everyone, who give nods. “Alright. Once the base has been cleared, we go for information. Go through files, computers, flash-drives; Romanov and Barton, you're in charge if getting information from people. Keep an eye out for these individuals,” Stark pulls out a tablet with three pictures on it, “and take them alive. We need them.”

Clint raises his hand and tony points at him. “What about Bucky, when we’re done? Does he get to, uh, you know.”

“As long as they can’t give us information and are not one of these three lovely Hydra scum, he is free to do as he wishes.” Stark allows. Clint nods. Murray, Cobb, and Hansen look a little alarmed.

“Alright, lets go. Bucky, take out any Hydra agents we come across, quietly.” Clint orders. The creature falls into step behind the handler as they make their way toward the Hydra base. Clint picks off guards as they go with his bow, retrieving the arrows as they pass by the fallen Hydra agents. They get inside through a side door and creep through the halls. The first pair of agents they come upon are not prepared at all and are quickly dispatched by Murray and the creature’s knives. Murray wipes his knife off on his pants and looks over to the creature, who is cleaning its knife with its tongue. Murray quickly looks back down. They continue through the halls, killing any patrols they come across. 

Once they've swept the halls, Clint, Murray, and the creature split up to go through rooms individually. The handler instructs the creature to only kill soldiers, leave scientists, office workers and the like alive. Unconscious or restrained, but alive. The creature creeps to the first room and pauses outside, listening. Clacking of keyboards, two sets of footsteps, the sounds of weapons shifting. It opens the door swiftly and grabs the nearest armed agent, holding his body against its own as a shield. the shots that are fired off by the second agent hit the one in front of it and slam into his flesh with wet thuds. Once the shots have ceased the creature drops the body and leaps over it, grabbing the second agent by the throat and squeezing until his windpipe collapses beneath its hand. The three office workers are huddled in a corner, crying out. The creature slams its metal fist into ones temple, knocking him out then reaching out and grabbing the other two around their necks and applying pressure to cut off air and blood supply but not crush anything. Once they have slumped to the floor it walks back out the door and to the next room. Already an agent is running toward the room, drawn by the sound of gunshots. The creature throws a small knife that stabs into the woman's neck and she drops to the ground, blood gushing from her throat. The creature grabs its knife as it stalks past her dying form. It sweeps through four more rooms in much the same fashion, killing agents and knocking out office workers. The last room is more of a lab. One of the agents tries to take control of the creature, but it already has a handler so the words are of no use. Once the room is cleared it goes back to the meeting point for its handler and waits.

It only takes a few minutes before clint jogs up then a few more until Murray arrives as well. Clint nods to them. “Got your rooms cleared?” 

“Yes sir.” the creature replies and Murray nods. 

“Okay.” Clint taps his ear, “Okay Tony, we've got our area cleared, ready for you to come in and get data form the computers - Alright - Yes - See you soon.” He taps his ear again. “Alright, come on guys, I've got an idea for an interrogation.” Clint leads them down hallways to another lab-looking room. Two men and a woman tied up in a corner begin to struggle against their restraints when they see them enter the room. Clint goes and kneels down in front of them. “So, heres the thing. You guys have information I need, but my buddy here,” He points his thumb at the creature, “is kinda hungry, so it would be in your best interest to be the most useful, cus the least useful, well, it gets pretty messy.” The creature looks over Clints shoulder at the three and tilts its head. It gets to eat? The three see the creature looking at them with hunger in its eyes and start to panic. Clint reaches forward and pulls off their gags.

Immediately one of them blurted “Heil Hydra!” then firmly shuts his mouth. 

“Okay, so he's not useful. Buddy, you can have this one.” the handler says, stepping aside. The creature steps forward and grabs the man by the collar of his shirt. The other two hydra agents have looks of terror on their faces and the creature drags the man back into a corner and strips off his shirt, exposing his chest and abdomen. It slices into the mans belly with its claws once, twice, three times until his organs are exposed. The man is screaming along with his co workers as the creature pulls out the mans intestines. It reaches his liver and tears out the largest lobe and bites into it savagely. The creature is aware that its handler is asking the remaining agents questions that they are readily answering, but does not bother listening to what is being said. It focuses only on feeding, tearing into the liver until it is gone, then leaning down and ripping off chunks of flesh from his chest and belly with its teeth. It goes between feasting on flesh and chewing on intestines as blood drips down its chin. 

Soon enough the creature is pleasantly full and lifts itself to its feet to go and stand by the door near Murray. Murray scoots away from it to the other side of the door. Coward. Clint finishes his interrogations and joins them at the doorway. 

“Alright, time to get going, Tony’s got what he needs from the computers and Tasha’s been done for a while.” Clint says then leads them back through the hallways and out the building to the quinjet. Natasha with her team and Stark are already in the jet waiting for them. Murray quickly goes and sits next to Cobb and Hansen, eager to get away from the creature. The creature follows Clint and stands behind him as he sits in the pilots seat next to Stark. On the flight home it says nothing, Just watches the passengers of the jet as they fly back to the tower. the three SHIELD agents shift uncomfortably under his gaze and Natasha just looks bored. 

They land at the tower and just inside Steve is waiting. The creature dutifully follows its handler but keeps its eyes on Steve, wanting to go to him. Clint notices and waves the creature off. “Go on, you're done.” he allows. The creature nods and walks over to Steve. It stops in front of him then presses itself against him, sticking its nose into Steves throat and drinking in his scent. A purr rumbles from the creatures chest as Steve wraps his skinny arms around it. 

“Mine.” the creature purrs.

“Yes, yours.” Steve replies. The creature rumbles contentedly. Steve pulls away and grasps the creatures hand, pulling it toward the elevator. The creature pauses and looks at its handler. Clint nods and waves his hands in a shooing motion. The creature turns back to Steve and follows him out of the room. Steve leads him to their floor and pushes him toward the bathroom. “Go take a shower you filthy thing. And change your clothes, they're covered in blood.” The creature reaches out and grabs Steve and rubs its bloody face through Steves hair. 

“Oh, gross! Why would you do that!” Steve shoves at the creature playfully. It purrs in amusement at its Deliciaes antics. Such a silly human. 

“Okay, go! shower!” the creature nuzzles Steve one more time then retreats to the bathroom. It showers and changes into fresh clothes, then goes back out to the living room. 

Steve is sitting on the couch, the blood in his hair making it stick up in odd directions. Steve lifts his head when the creature walks in and stands. “Okay, since you decided to get all snuggly, now I've got to take a shower, so I’ll see you in a few minutes.” The creature nods and turns to sit on the floor next to the couch. A rabbit, Grace it remembers, hops up to it. The creature holds its hand out and the rabbit nuzzles up to it. The creature smiles. It’s nice. It sits, petting Grace, until Steve comes back out of the shower, then stands and pulls Steve into another hug. 

“you sure are cuddly today.” Steve remarks. The creature just hums contentedly. Yes. It is cuddly today. The creature walks them to the bedroom and lays down, pulling Steve with it and cuddling up to him. The creature purrs and sticks its nose into the other mans neck, then drifts off to sleep.


	19. spiderman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sam apologizes and bucky meets someone new

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry its been so long, I'm alive i swear, and I'm still updating, just slower.

In the morning Bucky wakes slowly. He's warm and comfortable, wrapped around Steve, and it feels nice. Bucky hasn't woken up with Steve in quite a while, and it feels good. “You finally up sleepy head?” Steve mumbles.

“Mhm” 

“Well, I'm ready for food, so up we get.” Steve pushes himself up and out of bed. Bucky follows him out to the kitchen and sits on a stool at the counter and watches Steve pour himself cereal. 

“So.” Steve starts as he pulls out the milk. “Sam is coming over today.” 

Bucky nods. “Okay, when? I’ll head over to the gym.”

“No, he says he wants you to be here.” Steve says a little hesitantly.

“Is that a good idea? He doesn't like me very much, I don't see this going well.” Bucky questions.

“I don't know, thats what he asked for. You obviously don't have to stay, you can go to the gym if you want, but maybe its a good idea for you guys to be in the same room. Civilly.” Steve suggests. Bucky ponders the proposition. Hopefully Sam doesn't want to see him just so he can punch Bucky in the face. But in the end he nods. He’ll stay. 

Sam knocks at the door around two o’clock, and as he and Steve discussed, Bucky answers the door. He swings the door open and there is Sam face open and happy until he sees Bucky. “Oh. It’s you.” Bucky rolls his eyes and steps to the side, letting Sam in. 

“I offered to be gone, you requested I stay.” he sighs.

“Yeah, sorry, just was expecting Steve.” Sam says as he slips past Bucky. Bucky points him in the direction of the living room then follows Sam down the hall. Sams face lights back up when he sees Steve. He pulls Steve into a firm hug and claps his back. “Hey man, good to see you.”

“Great to see you too Sam.” Steve smiles and returns the hug. They pull apart and Sam takes a deep breath, clapping his hands together.

“So. Uh, Bucky.” Sam turns toward him. Bucky looks up from where he's been spinning one of his knives in his fingers. 

“Yes?”

“Look, I just want to apologize for how I've treated you. I jumped to conclusions and then wouldn't listen to your side of things. I'm still not okay with the whole ‘eating people’ thing, but other than that you seem like an okay guy, so, sorry.” Sam apologizes. Bucky tilts his head. 

“Thank you. I'm sorry I threatened to rip out your intestines.” Bucky offers. 

“Yeah, that was not cool man.” Sam points an accusatory finger at Bucky.

“Hey, you did try to punch me.” Bucky defends.

“Generally that means you punch back.” Sam counters.

Bucky holds up his metal hand. “You really want me to punch you with this?”

“Well, no, I guess not.” Sam admits. Bucky smirks and nods in amusement. Sam nods back then spins to face Steve. “So! Steve, what do you do for fun these days?”

If there ever was a dismissal, that would be it, so Bucky ducks out of the room and heads to the gym. He sets himself up in the shooting range and loses himself in the targets. 

————————

 

Bucky sits on top of a building, legs hanging off the edge, eyes closed just listening. He's somewhere in Queens, he thinks, and it’s the middle of the night. He'd had a conversation with Stark earlier, confirmed he was allowed to leave the tower, then left once Steve had fallen asleep. He had wandered for a while, jumping across rooftops and racing down alleys, simply enjoying the freedom of being able to do so. But now he is still, listening as people pass occasionally below him, as cars whiz by. 

It’s because he's listening that he hears a faint scream. He's up and running before he can think about it, toward the noise. A few rooftops away from the scream he manages to stop himself. No. This is not a hunt. Do not run toward the scream, he's not being left out of a meal, he's in New York and screams don't mean kill, they mean help. 

Bucky shakes his head to clear it, baring his teeth in frustration. He leaps across the last few roofs to peer down at what caused the scream. Below him a man is yelling at a young woman. When the man slaps the woman across the face, Bucky’s about to leap down and tear his throat out, repercussions be damned, but someone else jumps in and catches the mans hand as he goes to slap her again. The new guy is wearing a skintight red and blue outfit with spider web designs all over it. He throws the first man, Bucky decides hell call him Potential Snack, across the alleyway, and Potential Snack lands in a heap against the brick. The woman flees, hopefully to a safer place. The guy in the outfit watches her go so doesn't see Potential Snack get up and rush him with a knife. Bucky takes the opportunity to land with a loud thud behind Potential Snack. Both he and Guy in the Outfit spin around and Bucky lashes out with his metal fist, slamming it into the mans skull and knocking him out. 

Guy in the Outfit takes a step back. “Whoa, uh, hey there. thanks for the help? i mean, I'm sure i woulda got him, but much appreciated.” he babbles. 

Buckys brow furrows. “You're just a kid…” 

“What? No I'm not! I am a full grown adult person.” Kid in the Outfit protests. 

“The fact that you said ‘full grown adult person’ proves you are not.” Bucky counters. 

BANG.

The shot thuds into the Kid in the Outfits leg. Bucky spins around and sees Potential Snack with a gun raised, ready to shoot again, but not before Bucky leaps on him and breaks his arm. He goes to snap the mans neck but a strange substance, almost like webbing, catches his metal arm and sticks it onto the brick wall of the alley. Bucky looks at the webbing then to Kid in the Outfit, who has his arm outstretched and wrist pointed forward. 

“I'm sorry.” the kids says, “I cant let you kill him.” Bucky tries to pull his arm out of the webbing, but its strong, to he begins slashing at it with his claws. “You have claws?” the kid exclaims, “Thats… kinda weird kind of cool. Oh uh, you got through it, wow. Hey, you uh, you got any aspirin?” he motions to his leg, that he's webbed up to slow the bleeding, but its nearly soaked though. The kid is losing a lot of blood.

Bucky closes his eyes and breathes calmly. Potential Snack is still screaming, and Bucky can hear sirens coming toward them. He opens his eyes and grabs Kid in the Outfit then races down the alley.

“Hey!” the kid shouts. “Hey put me down!” Bucky waits till he's turned the corner and sets the kid on the ground.

“You're losing a lot of blood, you need to get to a hospital.” Bucky explains, then goes to pick the kid back up.

“Wait, no, I can’t go to a hospital!” The kid starts scooting back from Bucky and holds his wrist up again. Bucky stops his advance and raises his hands. His sleeve slips down his metal arm and light from a window glints off it. “Whoa, you have a metal arm? That’s awesome dude!” Kid in the Outfit burst out. Bucky growls a little. “Oh, okay, and big pointy teeth. Thats cool too.”

“We need to go.” Bucky demands. “The police are nearly here.”

“No hospitals!” Kid in the Outfit repeats. Bucky rolls his eyes.

“Fine, I’ll take you home.” Wait. when did stark tower become home? Never mind, thats a subject for another time. Bucky helps the kid to his feet and lets him lean on his shoulder and leads the kid to the tower.

“Wait, you live in Stark tower? Who even are you?” the kid gawked once the reach the tower.

“The lucky guy that got to drag your ass all the way here. Now shut up.” Bucky punches in the code to the side door he uses and leads the kid to the medical ward. They reach it and the kid starts struggling again.

“I said no hospitals!” he protests.

“Relax, you can trust them here. They've seen weirder shit than you, i promise, and can keep quiet.” Bucky assures him. The kid settles and lets Bucky lead him to a bed. Almost immediately a nurse rushes in and inspects the kids wound. Bucky takes a few steps back and lets the nurse do her job. Another nurse comes to help her. 

Soon Stark walks in. “Who’d you bring to my tower? Ooo, is that Spiderman? I've been wanting to talk with this guy.”

“He’s a kid Stark.” Bucky sighs.

“No I'm not!” the kid, apparently ‘Spiderman’ insists. 

“Oh, you totally are.” Stark replies. “What do you think you're doing, running around in an outfit playing vigilante?”

“I'm not playing, I'm doing what i have to.” Spiderman- okay, Bucky cant call him Spiderman, he just cant- the kid says quietly.

“What you have to? why do you have to?” Bucky asks.

“Well, I have these powers, I have to take responsibility and use them right? My uncle always said, with great power comes great responsibility, I'm trying to be responsible for what I have.” the kid tries to explain. 

“Right, in that case, I have to eat you.” Bucky says.

“What!?” the kids exclaims, alarmed.

“Well, thats who I am, I need to take responsibility for who I am right? For what I can do.” Bucky counters. 

“Thats not, thats totally not the same thing.” the kid argues.

“Maybe not to you, but thats how it sounds to me.” Bucky replies. 

“No! You don't understand! I have to do this!” the kid protests.

“Okay, calm down, we’re not gonna stop you.” Stark interjects.

“We’re not?” Bucky hisses.

“No, we are not, because this guy has clearly is set on this and isn't gonna stop no matter what we say or do, so it'll just be best to leave it be.” Stark hisses right back. Bucky glares first at Stark then at the kid. Stark just raises an eyebrow, unimpressed, the kid flinches back. Bucky takes a deep breath, growls, and stalks out of the room. Let Stark deal with this ‘Spiderman’. Bucky’s done with his good deed, he got the kid back here, he's done. Bucky heads to the gym to work off his frustration.

After punching until he feels at least slightly better, Bucky makes his way to Steve. Bucky takes another deep breath before entering his and Steves bedroom. He hesitates inside the door, then gets into the bed. Steve is sound asleep, not even stirring when Bucky pulls back the covers and climbs in next to him. It doesn't take long for Buckys eyes to slip shut and sleep take over.


	20. teacher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky doesn't feel well and peter meets the creature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rewrote this chapter a few times, sorry for the wait. are you guys still interested in this? I'm trying to decide whether to end it or keep going. the story i mean. let me know what you think! i love you all.

Bucky sits in then middle of the living room watching Grace hop around him. He's bored. Natasha and Clint are out on a mission and Steve and Stark are out and about, leaving no one and nothing to entertain Bucky. He feels needy, like a child that needs constant attention, but he can’t help that when left alone his thoughts turn dark. He’ll remember his days with Hydra, the torture and suffering, not only to himself but to others, the pain he delivered. His mind will show him everything he has done, and his newfound conscience tortured him for it. He’ll look at the metal arm and hate it, hate what it represents; that he is nothing but a tool, a weapon. That for a long time, he had no choices, no family, no will, nothing good. That he still has very few choices, his family is still gone. 

Bucky snarls and Grace scurries to her hutch. He needs to kill. To rip, to rend, to tear, so he goes to the rabbit room. Being there only reminds him more of the horrible monster that he is, but his want to destroy is stronger than his shame. 

Bucky picks up a rabbit from one of the enclosures and carries it, gently, he’s not so far gone as to frighten the poor thing more than necessary, to the room next door that holds the icebox. Once the door has shut he swiftly slices his claws across the rabbits throat and closes his mouth over the wound before blood can drip onto the floor. Bucky takes long swallows as the blood flows from the laceration. Once the blood flow has slowed to a near stop Bucky begins to tear the rabbit, which has been dead for a while, apart. He eats the torn up flesh as he rips it into tiny pieces. It feels good to destroy something, to tear and rip and slice. The rabbit is gone too soon, but he feels good enough that he doesn't want to do this again. 

Bucky walks back to his and Steve’s floor and grabs a change of clothes before heading to the shower. He turns the water to the hottest it will go before stepping into the spray, hissing in pain. The heat is almost too much, but then, thats the point. When he steps out of the shower his skin is pink and sensitive, and it hurts to put on his clothes, but he manages. Then Bucky hops up into the vents and curls up on his blankets. 

Stark must have told Steve that Bucky is in the vents because as soon as Steve gets home he can hear the stepladder being pulled out and dragged to the vents opening, then Steve’s head pops into view. “Hey, whatcha doing up here?” he asks softly. Bucky says nothing, just gives a long exhale and turns his gaze away from Steve. “Come on Bucky, whats wrong?” Bucky shakes his head minutely. “That doesn't tell me anything pal.” Bucky shakes his head again. Steve sighs. “Okay.” Bucky thinks he’ll go away and leave him alone now, but instead Steve climbs higher on the ladder and hauls himself into the vent. It’s not graceful, and he probably could've used help, but Bucky feels too heavy to move. Bucky turns his back to Steve but Steve crawls up to him anyways, and lays down behind him, close enough for Bucky to feel the heat from him, but not close enough to touch, letting Bucky decide whether to make contact or not. Instead Bucky scoots a little further from Steve, and Steve doesn't try to follow him, just stays in his spot. They stay like that until Bucky falls asleep. 

steve

 

Steve had not been sure climbing into the vent had been a good idea. It’s Buckys safe space, his place to be alone, and Steve is not respecting that. But Steve thinks Bucky shouldn't be alone right now, so had risked upsetting him. Bucky hadn't growled at him however, so either he's not too upset about Steve being there or he just doesn't feel good enough to care. Steve hopes its the first but suspects its the second.

Tony had told Steve when they got back from their outing that Bucky wasn't feeling well and was hiding in the vents. when Steve had asked how he knew that, Tony had just held up his phone, showing a video feed of the inside of the vents, where Bucky was curled up. Steve was a little pissed off Tony took to spying on Bucky so easily, but decided that that wasn't a conversation for that moment, so had sighed and gone instead to Bucky. And Tony was right, Bucky wasn't doing well. When Steve had stuck his head into the vents Buckys eyes were dead, and Steve had been scared for a moment that he'd somehow reverted back to being the creature. His fears gave way to sadness when Buckys gaze just shifted past him listlessly. 

Steve sighs softly. He wants to help Bucky, but doesn't know how. For now he’ll make sure Bucky isn't alone, be there for him. It’s all he knows how to do. 

bucky

 

It takes a while, but Bucky begins to feel better. Not good, but better. Well enough that he comes down out of the vents, eats without destroying, and maybe doesn't hate himself quite so much. Steve helps, more than Bucky thinks Steve knows. His simple presence helps calm Buckys mind, bring him out of his destructive thoughts, his soothing scent grounds him. After a few weeks, Bucky feels mostly normal, at least, what has become normal for him. Clint helps as well, he brings Lucky over a few times and forces Bucky to play hide and seek, getting him out of the apartment and moving around. Soon enough there is a mission, but Bucky sees a problem. It’s in Queens.

“I don't think its a good idea, me going. The local vigilante doesn't like me very much.” he says at the meeting.

“Who, Spiderboy?” Stark asks.

“Yeah.” Bucky confirms.

“He likes you fine.” Stark waves a hand lazily.

“Okay, we have differing points of opinion.” he tries.

“Well, thats true.” Stark concedes. “But it doesn't matter, you won’t run into him and its not like he could do anything anyway; you're going.”

“Send Clint, he's Natasha’s usual partner isn't he?” Bucky insists.

“Bucky, you're going, thats final.” Stark concludes.

Bucky sighs, “Fine.” Stark smiles triumphantly. 

peter

 

Peter isn't expecting anything tonight, its frigid out and everyone, including Peter, wants to be inside snuggled up with a fuzzy blanket. But here he is, outside, in the cold, freezing, just sitting on a rooftop. His gunshot wound from a couple of weeks ago still aches, but the worst of it has gone. He's lucky the vampire (Because he's convinced thats what the strange man was, because claws? Pointy teeth? Threat to eat him? Come on, vampire) Decided to help him rather than drink all his blood. He needs his blood, quite likes his blood. 

He's so occupied thinking about his blood he nearly misses the faint scream. It’s probably nothing, but Peter’s got nothing else to do so makes his way over to it. It’s not nothing. He gets closer and hears more muffled shouts in an abandoned building. Peter creeps in through a window and climbs along the ceiling toward the noises. He gets there and sees a woman in a skintight black outfit making her way through a bunch of men coming at her with guns. She sweeps her way through them with ease. His gaze shifts to a man fighting the men with guns, and sees the metal of his left arm. Its the vampire! Peters eyes widen as the vampire opens its jaws and snaps them shut on a mans neck. Blood gushes from the wound when the vampires mouth leaves the mans throat and he is thrown to the ground to make way for another. 

Peters senses start to tingle a moment before the vampire looks up and spots him. It bares its bloody teeth and snarls. Shit. The vampire leaps up and before peter can dodge grabs his leg in its metal hand. Peter is pulled to the floor and in seconds the vampire is on top of him. Peter is sure he's going to die, sends an imaginary apology to Aunt may, squeezes his eyes shut, tenses, and… nothing. He opens his eyes looks at the vampire. Its head is tilted like a curious dog, eyes narrowed, nostrils flared as it takes deep breaths. 

“Bucky!” he hears the woman call out. “Get off of him!” the vampire, Bucky apparently, quickly stands. The woman runs up to them and looks down at peter with appraising eyes. “You're Spiderman.”

“Uh, yeah. Hey thanks for, uh, you know, getting the vampire to not eat me.” he manages to get out. The woman smirks and ‘Bucky’ growls.

“He's not a vampire.” the woman informs him.

“Oh, uh, what is he?” Peter asks. The not-vampire bares its teeth again. “Okay, never mind, i don't need to know.” The woman smirks again.

“And he wouldn't eat you.” she says.

“Oh good.” Peter breathes.

“Not without my permission.” The woman finishes.

“Oh. And uh, does he have permission?” Peter squeaks.

“Not at the moment, but I’ll need you to answer a few questions honestly, and believe me when i tell you ill know of you lie.” the woman says sweetly. “First question, how old are you?”

Peter looks from the woman to Bucky and back. Sighs. “Sixteen.” 

“Why are you here?”

“I heard a scream, I wanted to help. Didn't know not-vampire-guy would be here.” Peter answers. Bucky huffs at its, his? his, nickname and Peter shifts back a little, nervous. The woman hums as if in thought. 

the creature

 

The creatures handler is questioning the boy, the boy it recognizes and it feels… defensive of. Like the boy needs to be protected from harm. It’s not sure why though. For now the creature will wait for its handler to finish her questioning. She is not harming the boy in any way, he is giving answers fairly easily, if reluctantly, though its not as if the creature could protect the boy from its handler anyway if she decided to get rough. 

“Bucky.” Its handler voice cuts through its thoughts, and the creature snaps its head up from where it had been staring at the boy to look at its handler. “You're done, head back to the car.” The creature nods but pauses, its gaze lingering at the boy. Its handler notices its hesitation. “He wont be harmed, I just want to talk to him alone.” The creature nods again and obediently gets into the van. The creature can still hear what is being said, and knows the handler knows that too, so this must have been for some semblance of privacy for the boy.

“Soooo, what are we talking about? Cus i should get home soon.” the boy tries. 

“Mm. Why didn't Bucky immediately kill you?” the handler asks the boy.

“What? I don't know, we've met before, maybe thats why? I don’t- I don't know, I'm more focused on the ‘not human’ aspect of him. Cus you know, pointy teeth and claws? Generally not human traits! And, and what could he be besides a freakin vampire?! And what were you guys doing anyway? How do i know you're not gonna kill me? Are you good guys or bad guys? I mean, not-vampire-guy lives with Tony freaking Stark, so my first guess is good guy, but what do i know? And-” 

“Stop.” the handler commands. The boy falls silent. “You say you've met Bucky before?”

“Uh, yeah. I was out, you know, doing my thing, and he helped me, though I had to stop him from killing the guy. Seriously, he was about to snap the guys neck.” the boy explains. 

“Bucky, come here please.” The handler says. The creature hops back out of the van and goes to stand next to its handler. “Bucky, are you a vampire?” the handler asks. The creature cannot growl at its handler, so instead shakes its head with a glare towards the boy, knowing he is the reason for the insulting question. “And what are you Bucky?”

“I am your asset, your soldier.” the creature replies.

“Why is he acting like this? He wasn't like this last time I saw him.” the boy says.

“Because as you said, he's not human, and at the moment, he will do anything i tell him to. He likes you, but if I tell him to hunt you down and tear you limb from limb, he will.” the handler threatens. The creature is not sure where she is going with this, what good these threats do. “So you are going to do as I say. You need training, that much is clear. You have no real skills and are getting by on luck and strength alone.”

“What? I have skills!” the boy protests.

“Not enough. Go to Hells Kitchen and find the devil. Tell him Natasha and Bucky sent you and that you need training.” its handler instructs.

“What? You want me to go to him?! But he’s… scary, and violent!” the boy yelps.

“And he can help. I’ll know if you don't go to him, and i will send Bucky after you. He wont be as nice as the devil.” the handler says sweetly.

“I thought you said Bucky likes me.” the boy points out.

“The last person Bucky decided he liked he kidnapped and kept as a pet.” Now thats just not true. The creature likes its handler well enough and it hadn't kidnapped her. It likes the other handler and hasn't kidnapped him. It even likes Stark, and that wasn't really kidnapping, that was it being nice and not eating him. 

“Oh.” the boy turns his head toward the creature and seems to keep an eye on him, though its hard to tell with the mask. “Okay, I’ll go to him.” he decides. The handler nods. the boy stands and slides toward a window. “I really do gotta go, I've got school in the morning. I promise ill go see him tomorrow night.” The handler nods and the boy scrambles out the window and climbs up along the wall to the roof. 

The handler turns back to the creature, so it stands straighter under her appraising glance. “Are you hungry?” she asks. Hungry? That was a stupid question, always alway always it is hungry. It nods. The handler gestures to an unconscious hydra agent. The creature grins and descends upon him.

——————————

 

Bucky can smell him before he hears him, his steps are so silent. Matt lands next to him on the roof and sits down beside him. “I don't appreciate the kid being sent to me. I'm not a teacher, or a babysitter. He shouldn't be out at all.” he scolds.

“I agree, but I was not in a place to protest at the time.” Matt makes a small questioning hum, but Bucky ignores it. “What are you going to do with him?” Bucky asks. 

Matt sighs and drops his head. “I'm going to train him. He's not going to stop going out, we both know that, and he needs to be taught how to actually fight, not just hit blindly and hope it lands. I’ll take care of him, just don't expect me to be happy about it.”

“I never thought you would be. But thank you anyways.” Bucky offers.

“Mm.” Matt nods, then stands. He takes a step back and launches himself off the roof. Bucky watches him spin through the air and lands on the next roof, then keep running.


	21. the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bucky sees pierce and thing go to shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i decided to end it here. I'm probably gonna keep writing little one-shots, but as for the major story, this is it.
> 
> okay i lied. I'm doing a prequel about the time bucky was with hydra. it won't be pretty, and there won't be snuggles, so prepare for that, but i am going to keep writing, so keep an eye out for that, should have the first chapter up fairly soon

“Why do I have to see him again?” Bucky sighs. He does not want to leave the apartment for this; he had been playing with Grace while Steve drew when Clint had knocked on the door to tell him a Secretary Pierce wanted to meet with him. 

“Because he's a very important man and you've drawn his attention. Don't worry, it won’t be long, he's a very busy person.” Clint assures him as they walk toward the conference room they'll be meeting Fury and Pierce in. Bucky grumbles his displeasure but continues to follow Clint. They reach the door and Clint opens it, allowing Bucky through. Bucky watches Clint as he walks through the door so doesn’t see Pierce or Fury till he's all the way in the room. He stops suddenly when he sees Pierce.

No. No, he had trusted them! Trusted Clint, trusted Stark, and all this time they'd been working for his primary handler with Hydra! Bucky casts a betrayed glance to Clint, who just looks mildly confused. How dare he. 

“So this is Bucky. I had to see if it was true of course.” Buckys old handler, Pierce, says. Bucky finds he is shuddering, but cant seem to get himself to stop. He was still with Hydra, he had never truly escaped, had willingly given his words to Hydra agents to control him. He let Stark drug him innumerable occasions, mess with the arm, shared his weaknesses with Clint, trained with Natasha, considered them friends, and it was all just another way to control him. He had thought he was free since finding Steve. Steve… no Steve. Steve had to be with them, was friends with Natasha before all of this had happened, was an agent of Hydra all this time, and Bucky fell for it. Had latched on to what he thought was a good thing and ran right into another trap. Buckys chest aches as he thinks of Steve, and he can barely breathe. And all the missions he's been on, how did he know it was really Hydra agents he was killing? He simply trusted what he had been told and now who knows how many good people he had killed, had eaten, all for Hydra. 

“-ucky. Bucky!” His name, a name Hydra gave to him, cuts through his thoughts. “Bucky whats going on man?” Clint sounds concerned, as if his cover hasn't been blown. Did they really not think Bucky would recognize Pierce? “Bucky!” Bucky looks around at Pierce, who is standing back with a small smile on his face, then to Fury, who is simply frowning, looking displeased at Buckys display, and finally to Clint, who is standing in front of him reaching out, but not quite touching. Bucky takes a deep ragged breath. There was no point in fighting. Hydra has made it clear that there is no escaping them, no freedom to be had, no Steve. He drops to his knees.

“Ready to comply.” he sobs. 

“What, Bucky, no, this isn't a mission, what are you doing?” Clint kneels down next to him. 

“Back up Barton.” Fury orders. Clint looks conflicted but does as he is told. “Barnes, what is going on here?” he demands. Buckys eyes drift to Pierce. He can only speak if the handler allows it. Pierce shakes his head minutely behind Fury, so Bucky remains silent. “Barnes! Answer me!” Fury barks. Bucky casts his gaze downward. 

“Soldier.” the handler speaks softly. “Come here.” Fury turns around and stares at Pierce while Bucky shuffles on his knees towards his handler and stops beside him, head bowed. This was something Pierce liked, the creature being lower than him. “Good boy, you remembered.” the handler praised, and runs his hand through Buckys hair. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Fury grinds out.

“Oh, Nick. The soldier is doing what he is supposed to in front of authority. Such a creature is not worthy of standing beside us don't you think? You've been doing well with him, I’ll admit that, but you can do so much better. He's an animal to be used Nick, not a person, can’t you see that?” the handler answers.

“No, no, what did you do to him?” Clint blurts out. 

“Barton, shut your mouth.” Fury orders.

“No Nick, let the boy ask his questions.” the handler objected, then faces Clint. “He simply recognizes me as his handler. I hear you are his handler from time to time, he is obedient is he not?” the handler boasts.

“But, it’s not, it’s not like that! He doesn't just,” Clint protests.

“I don't need to say his words anymore, he is my asset with or without them.” Pierce explains. “After years of being his handler, he learned it is simpler to just obey. Isn't this easier soldier?”

“Yes sir.” Bucky answers promptly. And it is. To obey means less pain, maybe a mouse tossed his way now and then, depending on who's in charge. 

“Soldier, detain these two.” Bucky is confused. Why does the handler want him to attack two of his own agents? His hesitation is too long and the handler backhands him across the face. Clint leaps forward toward the handler but Bucky is up and in his path before he can get to him. There’s a sudden bang as the doors of the room fly open and Stark walks in, Iron Man gauntlets on each hand raised and pointed at Bucky and Pierce. 

“Did you forget I have surveillance in here Alex? Tsk tsk.” Stark chided. 

“Oh Anthony, of course not, but I knew you'd come in without any backup. Soldier, kill him. I want his skull caved in.” So Bucky leaps. Stark aims both repulsers at Bucky and fires. Bucky twists and grabs Starks hands and rips the gloves off, leaving him defenseless. Bucky hears Clint behind him and spins around, swinging out his metal fist and aiming at Clints temple, a blow that would split his head open, but Clint ducks down and jabs at Buckys ribs. Bucky leaps back, right into Stark, knocking him down. Clint takes advantage of Buckys stumble and tackles him to the floor, but Bucky flips them over so he is on top and Clint is the one struggling beneath him. In front of him, Stark make motions with his hands then steps back while Bucky applies pressure to Clints neck. The handler said only to detain this one, so he’d knock him out without killing him before dealing with Stark. There is a loud crash and pieces of Tonys armor smash through the windows and attach themselves to Tony. Clint has just passed out when the last piece of armor flies through the window.

“Stop!” Fury shouts. Bucky looks and sees a gun pointed at his head. This was stupid. Why was a member of Hydra threatening him, why was he being ordered to attack them in the first place? Bucky is just so confused! It makes sense that Stark, Clint, and Fury are Hydra, but they aren't acting like it. Maybe… maybe they aren't. Bucky clutches his hair and growls in frustration. None of this makes sense!

“Bucky? Can you hear me buddy?” Starks automated voice comes through the armor. “Bucky, I don't know whats going on in that head of yours, but you've hurt Clint, he needs help and he can’t get it while you're attacking us. You really gonna cave my head in? Cus last time you nearly killed me you felt pretty awful about it afterwards. I really need you to snap out of whatever funk you're in.”

“You're hydra! You’re…” Bucky trails off.

“No, I think its been made pretty clear that Pierce is.” Stark points at the handler.

“Yes, the handler is Hydra, the handler wants you dead, but why?!” Bucky shouts.

“Stark is a traitor soldier, he betrayed Hydra, he needs to be put down.” the handler explains. Yes, that makes sense. No, it doesn’t! 

“No, no Bucky, I'm not Hydra, Clint’s not Hydra, Grumpy McPirate over there isn't Hydra, and you are not. Bucky, you are not with Hydra, not anymore, you're free.” Stark placates. Bucky sinks to his knees and rocks back and forth, whimpering. 

“I want to go home.” he cries. “I want to go home and I want to see my sisters and my mother and my father, I want to go back!” 

“Get up soldier!” Pierce orders. He strides forward and grabs Buckys arm and hauls him to his feet. “Finish your mission! Kill Stark! For Hydra.” 

“You took me away from them! Hydra took me away!” Bucky roars at Pierce. 

“You were found at the bottom of a cliff, dying and alone! Hydra saved you, you owe us your life.” the handler hisses. Bucky screams. He grabs Pierces head between his palms and begins to squeeze. 

“You, you should have let me die.” Then Pierces head collapses inward with a satisfying crunch and his palms meet. 

steve

 

With the head of Hydra gone, the rest of the foundation flounders, becoming easy pickings for SHIELD. Steve can finally go home, safe in the knowledge that Hydra can harm him no more. As for Bucky, he goes back to his mountains. Steve visits every summer, and they spend the warmer months together in a cabin (paid for by Stark). During the rest of the year Steve keeps tabs on the news of the area, and hears tales of hikers, hopelessly lost, guided back to trails by enchanting songs. A local legend forms of lo spirito di canto, a benevolent creature that haunts the mountains. The stories say that if you are lost a chilling song will lead you to the trail and watch over you as you make your way back down the mountain.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Prey](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10552880) by [zsomeone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zsomeone/pseuds/zsomeone)




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